3
-
Thursday, July 13, 1972
TRIBUTE TO RAINSTORM VOLUNTEERS
**
The head of the Social Welfare Department's Group and Community
Work Division, Mr. Stephen Law Chi-kin, today praised hundreds of volunteers
for helping with relief work in disaster areas following last month's
rainstorms.
He was referring in particular to members of departmental community
centres, including students, factory workers, and housewives, who had
made themselves available for odd jobs in Wong Tai Sin, Tai Hang Tung,
Kwun Tong and Tsuen Wan at all hours of the day and night.
Their offers of help ranged from fetching and carrying for the
dispossessed to making tea on the spot for tired workers.
One group of housewives in Kwun Tong came regularly to the
district's centre soon after daybreak every morning to attend to the needs
of landslide victims being temporarily housed there.
Students in Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Tong, and Tsuen Wan performed a
variety of services. They helped in the removal of rubble, assisted victims
to set up temporary accommodation, or register for aid.
In other cases, they volunteered to effect contact between lone
survivors and relatives elsewhere, and took part in the transportation of
salvaged household items.
Mr. Law said as soon as news of the disaster spread, volunteers came
forward with offers of help. Their eagerness to be of service profoundly
impressed professional social workers who were moved by this "massive
demonstration of public concern at fellow suffering."
"I cannot thank each volunteer by name, since they were so numerous,
but I hope all will regard this general expression of appreciation as directed
at them personally," he commented.
14