XN000022-1980-03-02 — Page 3

2

SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 1980

ONE SPORT WHERE RSS COACHING COURSES HAVE PROVED VERY SUCCESSFUL IS FOOTBALL. ALL THE PREPARATORY WORK WE PUT IN CERTAINLY PAID OFF, SAID MR YUNG. +OUR JOINT PROGRAMME WITH THE HK FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION HAS GENERATED 14 000 PLACES FOR KEEN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS TO GET SOME BASIC TRAINING. BUT EVEN THIS IS NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, SINCE OVER 20 000 APPLIED.+

A SPECIAL EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO DRAW THE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED INTO SPORTING ACTIVITIES. FOR THEM THE RSS ORGANISES SPECIAL GAMES DAYS AND WALKATHONS. AMONG PARTICIPANTS

IN THE POPULAR TAI CHI TRAINING PROGRAMMES ARE PATIENTS AT CASTLE PEAK HOSPITAL,

TOGETHER WITH A COMMERCIAL FIRM, RSS HAS ORGANISED A SERIES OF WOMEN'S GAMES. +WE WANTED TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN AND GIRLS TO TAKE TO THE SPORTS TRACK, + SAID MR YUNG, +AS IT HAPPENED THEY DID NOT NEED MUCH PROMPTING. WE HAD OVER 2 000 PARTICIPANTS

IN LAST YEAR'S GAMES.+

THROUGH ITS DISTRICT OFFICES, RSS CONDUCTS PROGRAMMES IN ALL PARTS OF THE URBAN AREA AND THE NEW TERRITORIES. EVEN SMALL VILLAGES AND OUTLYING ISLANDS ARE INCLUDED, THROUGH A SPECIAL +REMOTE VILLAGES PROGRAMME+.

IT HAS BEEN MAKING VIGOROUS EFFORTS TO BRING THE MORE EXPENSIVE SPORTS WITHIN THE REACH OF EVERYONE. SCUBA DIVING, WHICH WOULD NORMALLY SET THE BEGINNER BACK SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS, COSTS A MERE $15 A COURSE — INCLUDING EQUIPMENT HIRE. DONE? +BASICALLY IT IS A MATTER OF MAXIMISING RESOURCES,+ SAID MR YUNG. +THE SUBSIDY AMOUNTS ONLY TO ANOTHER $15 PER PERSON.+

HOW IS IT

HORSE RIDING TOO IS NORMALLY BEYOND THE MEANS OF MANY, BUT RSS OFFERS LESSONS AT $10 FOR A MORNING OR AFTERNOON IN THE SADDLE.

THE SERVICE HAS RECENTLY BEGUN MOVING BEYOND SINGLE-ACTIVITY PROGRAMMES, TO PROVIDE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITH A CHANCE TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE DAILY GRIND OF URBAN LIVING.

ONE STEP IN THIS DIRECTION IS A FOUR-DAY EXCURSION FOR PEOPLE IN EMPLOYMENT — ATTRACTIVELY LABELLED +AWAY FROM IT ALL+

— A FUN-FILLED YET ECONOMICAL PACKAGE DEAL.

FOR $60 YOU CAN TOUR THE SCENIC SAIKUNG PENINSULA AND LANTAU ISLAND, WITH LAUNCH PICNICS, FOLK DANCING, CANOEING, MOUNTAIN CLIMBING AND OTHER DELIGHTS ALL LAID ON.

THE RSS HAS PENETRATED EVERY LEVEL AND SEGMENT OF OUR COMMUNITY AND BROUGHT SPORT AND RECREATION TO OUR DOORSTEPS. FULFILLING ITS CATALYTIC ROLE IN HELPING THE PEOPLE ATTAIN A FULLER LIFE THROUGH SUCH HEALTHY PURSUITS,

IT IS ALSO OF HONG KONG

MR YUNG SAID.

13