SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1981
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VOLUNTEER SCOUT LEADERS COMMENDED
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THE SECRETARY FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, MR ERIC HO TODAY COMMENDED THE EFFORTS OF VOLUNTEER SCOUT LEADERS WHO HAVE PROMOTED SCOUTING FOR HANDICAPPED YOUTHS IN HONG KONG.
SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF AN INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON SCOUTING FOR DISABLED PERSONS AT THE LADY MACLEHOSE CENTRE, MR HO SAID SCOUTING PROVIDES EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE YOUTHS TO SET THE IR GOALS, TO STRIVE AFTER THEM, AND TO ACHIEVE THEM, IN COMMON WITH THEIR COMRADES WHO ARE ABLE-BODIED.
+MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT PROVIDES AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH DISABLED YOUTHS ARE HELPED TO ACHIEVE NOT ONLY FULL PARTICIPATION IN BUT ALSO FULL INTEGRATION WITH THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID,
THIS, HE ADDED, IS BOTH THE THEME OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND HONG KONG'S OWN THEME FOR THIS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS.
HE NOTED THAT THE FIRST TEAM OF VOLUNTARY LEADERS OF HANDICAPPED SCOUTS WAS ALREADY IN EXISTENCE IN HONG KONG SOME 25 YEARS AGO.
THE FIRST SCOUT GROUP FOR THE DISABLED WAS ESTABLISHED AT THE HAY LING CHAU LEPROSARIUM WHICH BECAME DEFUNCT WHEN THAT INSTITUTION WAS NO LONGER REQUIRED. THE SECOND GROUP, FORMED IN 1956 AT THE HONG KONG SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, HAS REMAINED ACTIVE RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT.
THE SIGNIFICANT PROGESS MADE SINCE THEN WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE PERSEVERANCE HARD WORK AND SACRIFICE OF THE VOLUNTEER LEADERS OF THE SCOUT ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG, MR HO SAID.
HE WELCOMED THE DELEGATES TO THE SEMINAR, WHICH HE SAID, +HAS BEEN ORGANISED TO SHARE EXPERIENCE WITH OUR FRIENDS FROM NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES AND TERRITORIES, TO FOSTER CLOSER CO-OPERATION AND, NOT LEAST, FOR US TO CONSIDER THE DIRECTION AND EMPHASIS OF OUR FUTURE EFFÖRTS+.
BUDDHA STATUE TO BE BUILT AT PO LIN MONASTERY
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THE REGIONAL SECRETARY (NEW TERRITORIES), MR IAN MACPHERSON, WILL OFFICIATE AT THE EARTH-BREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUDDHA STATUE AT PO LIN MONASTERY, NGONG PING, LANTAU, ON TUESDAY (DECEMBER 29) AT 10 AM,
YOU ARE INVITED TO SEND MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFF TO COVER THE CEREMONY. THE MARINE LAUNCH, +CLEMENTI+, WILL LEAVE THE MARINE DEPARTMENT PIER, NEXT TO THE OUTLYING ISLANDS PIER, AT 7.15 AM, TRANSPORT TO THE MONASTERY WILL BE PROVIDED.
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