Not a time to be
idle indeed!
Often seen with her infectious smile and enthusiastic gait, LB centre senior volunteer Patricia Lum Peck Yong, 70, is known as one of the social glue at the LB AAC @ Tampines 434.
“Joining LB changed my life. I didn’t know that the life I was living before this could simply transform into something as exciting and more meaningful as now,” said Patricia when met after her percussion lessons at the AAC recently.
From leading the walking group at the AAC, assisting seniors in their day-to-day lives, and more, Patricia is relentless when it comes to dedicating her time to serving others.
“I love working hard and don’t believe in having idle time. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop you see. Since childhood, I constantly filled my time with beneficial activities,” she chuckled adding that one of her favourites was being trained as a seamstress by her mother.
As a 13-year-old, Patricia made her debut with a school skirt. Soon, she started earning at the mere age of 16, with her teachers being her regular customers, encouraging her passion for tailoring.
That interest bloomed into a whole career for Patricia after completing her studies!
“I started working at a tailoring company at Orchard and for the next 18 years I honed my skills under this ‘sewing master’ from Shanghai. We also conquered all sorts of apparel and uniforms – from the local airline to the major hotels!” exclaimed Patricia.
With all her valuable experience, she later spread her wings and started her own business in the year 1992 at Jalan Sultan Plaza with two of her close friends who also helped to finance the startup and also to manage the business.
“I’d be the one going out getting business and the measurements done, one of my friend would be cutting up the materials, and the other would be taking care of the administrative work. We hired two tailors to sew at the office premises, and another four housewives sewing from home. We specialised in working on women’s apparel. For the men’s apparel, we outsourced to more tailors in Batam, Indonesia,” she reminisced.
Running an empire of tailors was a dream come true for Patricia, but alas, after more than a decade, the dream started crumbling apart as her two close friends started to leave to focus on their personal lives.
“I suffered day and night as I was shouldering all the major responsibilities alone. After a few years, I conceded defeat when the global pandemic COVID-19 came as the final nail in the coffin. I closed shop and brought back one sewing machine back home,” said Patricia adding that she took a break from her business during the lockdown.
That was when she began to notice the lockdown-friendly activities by the AAC in her neighbourhood helping seniors, especially those who live alone, to cope with the pandemic.
“I have seen the centre for many years, but my interest only piqued during COVID since I was at home. Once I joined as a member, there was no looking back. I never knew the activities organised by the amazing staff were so fun while also beneficial!” she exclaimed.
From a person who was engrossed in her tailoring business and had little time left for herself, Patricia embraced this transition to focus on herself and her wellbeing.
“This exposure that LB provided me was unexpectedly amazing. I made a lot of friends, focused on my health, and got to experience a lot of things that I never had before like going for excursions to the bird park, botanic garden, and even to the national functions at the Istana,” gushed Patricia adding that she felt free and was glad to have had the opportunity to let her hair down and have fun.
She also said her interest in charity and voluntary work sprouted from her association with LB.
“I used to donate to charities before, but nothing beats getting to the ground and making an impact on the people directly. It opened a whole new perspective for me where I was surrounded by so many kind and loving people. I feel I have an added purpose in life to serve the needy, especially the seniors,” she shared.
However, old habits die hard – once the pandemic blew over, Patricia reignited her tailoring business albeit in a smaller scale. She now focuses on select customers where she’d get the production done at Batam.
“Now that I have learnt to prioritise myself, I do things that make my heart, mind, and body happy. Every morning, I come to the AAC for the exercise sessions, later participate in the indoor activities, assist the staff or seniors whenever possible, and at the end of the day, I go home with a full heart,” she said adding that the AAC is a second home for her during the weekdays.
Not wanting to stay idle during the weekend, Patricia works part-time at a nearby fast-food restaurant and donates some of it towards the AAC activities whenever possible!
“I also joined the ‘Meals on Wheels’ programme to deliver food to the recipients around my block. I donate the earnings to LB again so that they can use it for the community,” said Patricia who still refuses to ‘slow down’ her rigour despite her health condition.
Recently, she was diagnosed with the L4-L5 degenerative disc disease where she’d have constant pain on her back, affecting her daily life from sitting to walking, and even standing for a long period.
Patricia highlights that she finds happiness in her daily activities and wants to continue giving back to the community as long as she possibly can.
“I also feel happy that I can bring joy to others. I would like to call out to other seniors to come out of their house and join us here at the AAC with their warm and loving staff. Do not lay idle as your mind would slow down!” she chimed.
We hope that these stories would inspire you to reach out and touch the lives of others.
If you would like to share your thoughts on these stories, please feel free to email us at cp@lb.org.sgBe A Volunteer
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