Spirit of giving stronger than ever
The global economic gloom has not stopped Hongkongers digging deep, with a record HK$16.5 million raised for Operation Santa Claus 2011.
That beats the previous record, set in 2006, of HK$16 million. In 2004, HK$16.8 million was raised after the campaign was extended for two weeks to help victims of the Boxing Day tsunami.
Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor congratulated the organisers - the South China Morning Post and RTHK - at a ceremony hosted by the Grand Hyatt yesterday to celebrate the charity drive's success.
'Most of the beneficiaries aren't big names that can organise fundraisers every year,' Lam said. 'Smaller NGOs that might not have the track record to receive government subsidies really benefit from community and corporate contributions.'
The appeal has helped more than 100 charities since 1988. Sixteen organisations will benefit from the HK$16,533,796 raised in 2011.
Selina Tsang Pou Siu-mei, the wife of Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen and honorary patron of the appeal, revealed the final figure.
Cliff Buddle, acting editor-in-chief of the Post, said he was 'delighted we have raised a record figure this year, especially as we are facing uncertain economic times. It is a credit to everyone involved. I was very pleased to see so many new major donors joining us and to witness such a wide variety of events that were so successful in raising funds for our 16 beneficiaries.'
Bryan Curtis, the head of RTHK's English programme service, said the appeal had outdone itself: 'The trust in the institution of RTHK and South China Morning Post that many donors felt made a big difference.'
Melissa Moi, chief executive of the Children's Medical Foundation. thanked the donors yesterday on behalf of all the beneficiaries.
'Operation Santa Claus' monetary support will ensure that families in Qingxinan prefecture in Guizhou province - a poor-world prefecture of more than three million people with an annual income of under HK$3,500 - will have access to life-saving neonatal care that will impact generations to come,' Moi said.
The donors had a lot of fun raising funds. Major donor JP Morgan was crowned the most creative for its dumpling-eating contest. The bank split its staff into teams of four with the aim of wolfing down 100 dumplings in eight minutes. Morgan Stanley's HK$2.45 million contribution made it the top corporate donor.
Discovery Mind Kindergarten was the top school fund-raiser for a second year running, and St Mark's School was named most creative.
119
The number of charities that have benefited from Operation Santa Claus since 1988
