Nine familieswent ona journeyof discovering love, perseverance
and appreciation as part of CCF’s Annual Family Retreat 2017
inPenang, Malaysia.
Held from 25 to 28 November 2017, this year’s retreat was
basedonaHawaiian theme - “AlohaOhana!WeLoveandCare
forOneAnother”. Itwasespeciallymeaningful formanyof them,
whonever had the chance to travel ona planeout of Singapore
due to theirmedical condition.
The retreat began with a round of icebreakers for the families
to get to know one another. One of the activities involved the
participants sharing the definition of love in their ownwords.
When the bonding session was over, CCF beneficiaries and
their familymembers retreated to their rooms for a quick break
before heading out for dinner.
More exciting games ensued the next day, and families had to
work together to complete various challenges. CCF volunteers
also used the opportunity to brief the families on the service
learning activity that would be held at PenangGeneral Hospital
on the third day of the retreat.
The families then sculpted balloon animals, drew handmade
cards, wrote heartfelt notes of encouragement and packed
goodiebags for thepatients.
After the session, participants tucked into the local dishes and
visited places of interests in their free time. The attractions they
visited inPenang includedTeddyville(TeddyBearMuseum),Upside
DownMuseum andGlowMansion (Glow in theDarkMuseum).
On the thirdday, the families distributed their specially prepared
handiwork to bring smiles to the patients at Penang General
Hospital. While it was a short session, the families found it
meaningful and were grateful for the opportunity to visit those
at the hospital.
Participants then returned to the hotel for a round of
psychosocial activities, revolving around the theme –
The Five Languages of Love.
Soon, itwas time for thehighlyanticipatedsegmentat the retreat,
whichwas theGalaBuffet Dinner Night. Themed “EKomoMai”
(Welcome in!), families were greeted with Hawaiian Lei (flower
garlands) as theywalked into the function room.
To show their appreciation to their loved ones, participants
had toserveoneanother foodanddrinksduring thebuffet. Itwas
a truly a heartfelt moment as participants personally thanked
and conveyed their appreciation to their family members while
they served.
Photos takenduring the retreatwerealsoput together asavideo
montage and screened during dinner. As the time came for the
finale, the fathersat the retreat were invitedon stage to lead the
sing and dance segment, prompting gasps of delight from the
other participants.
This year’s family retreat was specially organised for family
memberswhoneededa short getaway from their daily routines.
Through this event, families also found the opportunity to bond
and share quality time with one another. In all, the retreat was
loaded with fun, love and laughter, and participants left with
preciousmemories of the heartfelt moments.
A big thank you to all participants and volunteers for making
CCFAnnual FamilyRetreat 2017 agreat success.
CCFAnnual FamilyRetreat 2017
14
