Four days a week, Richmond's Wilson Tam heads over to the Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD). Once there, Tam either volunteers to teach ESL, belts out a tune in the singing club, takes part in the creative art class, or practices his martial arts.
RCD is his lifeline, he said.
"I've been coming here for 10 years and the centre is really important to me because my friends are here," said Tam, who is legally blind. "I have so much fun _ when I first joined the singing group 10 years ago, I only whispered, but now I sing louder than many of the others and I sing solos."
Tam sits quietly for a moment and with his head down, said that if the RCD had to shut down or cut back on many of its free activities, his life would be "very sad."
"I might not have anything to do during the day, and I may have no friends at all."
He wants readers to know how important the RCD's upcoming fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 20 is to them and to the staff.
Due to dwindling federal money, the need to raise money is even greater this year, said Ella Huang, executive director at RCD.
Within the next three years, the federal government will cut funding each year by 30 per cent until the government cuts off all funding after year three. That's a $60,000 per year loss of income.
Fifty-three-year-old Phileo Luk, also wants to help raise awareness for the fundraiser. Luk is a relative newcomer here; he's been coming for six months now and already can't imagine not being part of the RCD community.
"I had a stroke and heart attack on Nov. 10, 2010," Luk said. "I used to own my own driver training school, but now I can only work part time. I can't lift anything that weighs more than 10 pounds and because I've suffered some memory loss I can't teach driver training anymore."
Luk comes by the centre three times a week - some days to mentor some of the younger members, to participate in the singing club, or to just hang out with his newfound friends.
He paused and added, "So many of the volunteers and employees give their hearts to this centre_everyone is welcome and treated the same, regardless of our disability. It's a very special place. The staff help people regain their self-esteem and self-confidence."
Both Tam and Luk said this is their centre, and without it they would be very lonely.
"During our fundraiser, we hope to raise $30,000 to support the free activities at the centre, including recreational activities such as the singing club, social group, walking and wheeling club and table tennis club," said Huang, adding the centre has 650 participating members and 300 associate members.
The society also funds free services such as its members' information and networking programs, a computer enrichment site, where people can use the computer and access the Internet for free, and a public education series covering issues such as financial literacy and disability.
For a nominal fee, the nonprofit organization offers ESL and computer courses, pre-employment and life skills programs.
"When there is a fee for some recreational activities, they are normally very affordable; such as $2 for Chinese Friday Frenzy or $20 for eight sessions of creative arts class," said Huang. "We serve more than 18,000 people annually and provide more than 80,000 service hours every year."
Money raised from its fundraiser also goes towards training volunteers, an average of 75 people are recruited yearly, according to Huang.
The RCD hosts its fundraiser, Viva Las Vegas: A Tribute to Elvis, on Saturday, Oct. 20 in the Whistler Ballroom at the River Rock Casino Resort, 8811 River Rd. Tickets are $88 for dinner and the show (each ticket receives a $20 tax receipt). The tribute features world-renowned tribute artist Darren Lee. There will also be live music, games and a buffet. For more information, call 604-232-2404, email [email protected], or visit rcdrichmond.org/NewsAndEvents.
