bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporter

Seven Hong Kong secondary schools have set out to raise $40,000 for underprivileged children as part of Operation Santa Claus.

  Island School will hold a Red and Green Day (no-uniforms), South Island School is recording a CD of Christmas carols, while Hok Fuk Tong College is organising a letter-writing campaign.

  Other schools organising fund-raising activities are the German Swiss International School, the Diocesan Girls' School, Bishop Hall Jubilee School and the TWGHs Yau Tze Tin Memorial College.

  Launching Operation Santa Claus, a joint South China Morning Post and RTHK Radio 3 project, radio personality Paul Gordon urged the public to give generously to the campaign.

  'Get involved and brighten up a child's day,' he said.

  Operation Santa Claus this year hopes to raise at least $5 million for the Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association of Hong Kong.

  Gordon said the seven schools had come up with several money-generating ideas, including a bazaar and a cake sale.

  But he said the organisers still needed someone to sponsor a computer for the school which raised most money.

 Speaking at the launch ceremony, SAR First Lady Betty Tung Chiu Hung-ping said people had become so used to the high-pressure life that had made Hong Kong a success they often forgot how tough it could be on their children.

  'While most children can turn to their parents, teachers or friends with their problems, not everyone is so lucky,' she said.

  Dressed in her trademark red, Mrs Tung said she was delighted to be taking part in the campaign.

  'I love Christmas, wearing red, singing . . . and I love children,' she said.

Association director Justina Leung Ngai Mou-yin said: 'Young people have fears but have nobody to talk to.'   An association hotline fielded 3,465 calls between 1996 and 1997 but had to leave 29,102 calls unanswered because it lacked resources, Ms Leung said.

 This was an indication of the pressing need to extend the service, she said.

 Post editor Jonathan Fenby said the newspaper was doing all it could to help this year's appeal reach its target.

  'We hope that by covering the appeal every day throughout December, we can raise awareness of the problems facing children in the SAR and the magnificent work being done by the Boys' and Girls' Club Association to help them.'   Teachers or students wanting to join the charity drive should call Paul Gordon or Clare Elliott on 2339-6414.

  And of course, Young Post and Radio 3's Teen Time would love to report on your charity efforts.

  People wishing to donate can send crossed cheques, made payable to Operation Santa Claus, to RTHK Radio 3, PO Box 70200, Kowloon.



Schools pitch in to aid the needy