Gifts make a joyful noise at school for visually impaired

The Ebenezer School and Home for the Visually Impaired had a few visitors before Christmas - and they came bearing gifts.

About a dozen staff from financial services provider Macquarie, and Santa Claus, visited the youngsters at an early Christmas party on December 20. Dart guns, musical instruments, pottery kits, helicopters, lightsabers, Barbie dolls and more were given out and unwrapped to excited chatter, as the children pressed buttons that set off squeaks, alarms and battle noises. "We tried to get things that were very tactile," said Susan Clear, manager of the Macquarie Group Foundation Asia, the charitable arm of the Macquarie Group.

The group played games and got to know about 60 pupils gathered in the school's brightly lit assembly hall.

"You feel sad but happy, knowing that they're happier today with a nice toy. That's what the firm cares about," said Jeffrey Shiu, managing director and the head of equity for Hong Kong and China. Shiu has played Santa for six years but relinquished the role to a colleague this year. Instead, he played cheerleader to the new Santa, giving Saint Nick an introduction and a warm welcome.

"They've really given thought to the children's needs," principal Remy Wong Kwan-bo said. "You can see they've put their hearts into these well thought out Christmas gifts."

And their generosity went beyond presents, with the company's staff raising just under HK$100,000 for the school.

Macquarie Group is a major donor to Operation Santa Claus, a holiday charity appeal jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and RTHK. The group gave HK$150,000 to help 18 designated charities, of which the school is one.