“Never before, I touch a fighter jet,” said Dharmaraj, “and sit inside helicopter, pilot seat.” Meanwhile, Amin just beamed broadly, unable to say which moment was the most interesting for him.
They went on Friday 20 May 2016 to the Air Force open house, held at Changi airport. The outing was organised by TWC2’s Discover Singapore. Marcel Bandur, one of the co-leaders of the project, took groups of men to the aviation show not once but twice. A smaller group that included Dharmaraj and Amin went on Friday and a larger group (see the last photo at bottom) on Saturday. From the feedback received, the men thought it was hugely enjoyable to get close and personal with these “big toys” (as Discover Singapore put it on their Facebook page).
Marcel himself admits that’s a somewhat cheesy way to put it, but it does capture the fun they all had.
The event ended with a dinner at the airport itself, but alas, there doesn’t seem to be photos of that.
Run entirely by volunteers, Discover Singapore organises outings and similar events for injured and salary-unpaid workers under TWC2’s care. These events help to relieve boredom, lift spirits and provide opportunities for some physical exercise. Their Facebook page gives a more complete picture of the many different events they organise.
Plenty of ground-up informal groups ask to co-organise activities with Discover Singapore. They are always welcome. The best thing about outside parties helping out is that they can contribute unique ideas and resources that make for events that we ourselves might never have thought of.
However, the need for more TWC2 volunteers joining the Discover Singapore team is always there. We need people who can contribute the occasional Saturday or Sunday, and who in the weeks prior to the event can help out with the planning (e.g. organising transportation, meals, drinks, or, if it’s a sports event, equipment and location).
Send an email to [email protected] if you’re keen to help out.
