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CatholicNews ■ Sundays June 6 and June 13, 2004 11

“God destined the earth and all it contains for the use of every individual and all peoples”.

poster that way each time she spots a


different butterfly. I’m so glad she’s become
more conscious of butterflies now.”
From the East Photo: Sr Wendy Ooi, fsp

CONVENT of the Holy Infant Jesus


(CHIJ) Katong Primary is just one of the
many schools which has benefited from its
collaboration with NSS. With the help of
Dr. Vilma D’Rozario and other volunteers
of the NSS, students have participated in
various Fun With Nature programmes, set
up a butterfly patch and gone for nature
walks to learn more about the flora and
fauna along East Coast Park.
Photo: Sr Wendy Ooi, fsp
Angela Poh, Head of the Science Dr. Juliana Kiu, is also from St. Mary of the
STUDENTS of CHIJ Katong Primary relax at the school’s butterfly patch.
Department and a parishioner of Our Lady of Angels.She helped to set up a booth during
Perpetual Succour explains why she chose to the Earth Day activities in the parish. She is a
work closely with NSS. “The aim is to make
science come ‘alive’
and to provide
pupils with hands-
Our nature lovers native of Sarawak. “When I first came to
Singapore, I was very impressed with the
neatness of the trees compared to the dirty
and untidy trees in Malaysia. But I’ve just
on activities. It also
aims to evoke a
Catholic, committed and loving it started to realize that they are pumping lots
of pesticides on the trees, pruning them, so
sense of importance By Sr. Wendy Ooi, fsp they are neat but also artificial. The trees in
for the need for Malaysia however are pesticide-free, more
nature conservation natural and create a healthy environment.
and develop pro- the Bukit Batok Nature Reserve. Last December when I went home to
environmental issues among the pupils.” Carol and Eugene share their Sarawak, it was the first time to be in the
CHIJ Katong Primary is now a member discoveries and experiences of the countryside with the whole family and it was
of NSS and Angela is grateful for their Earth Day activities. a rediscovery of nature for me.”
alliance. “We’ve collaborated with NSS for Juliana also discovered a plant native to
three years already and I’ve learned a lot Carol: “The Earth Day exercises Sarawak and also native to Singapore, but
from them. The next time we hold a jumble was a nice experience with the which is increasingly becoming
sale, we plan to give the proceeds to NSS.” family which we don’t consciously endangered, the Pitcher plant. Juliana
do. Usually it’s just a trip to the ordered 100 Pitcher plants for the church.
Steven Chua, father of Angela, comes to the shopping centre. If everyone had the Known as nepenthes or “carnivorous
school opportunity to be involved, it can be plants” they eat flies, mosquitoes and even
three quite rewarding to get in touch with cockroaches which fall into their pitchers,
times a nature, as St. Francis did. Children shaped like tubes, tubs, or drums. The
Photo: Sr Wendy Ooi, fsp
week to are pampered and take many things plant’s fluids dissolve the insects which
help for granted. I realized that our kids are become nutrients and are then absorbed by
maintain
the
And the West more concerned about getting dirty and
being messed up. Our environment is so
the plant. By introducing the Pitcher plants
which are very popular with the young
butterfly Carol Seow and Eugene Lee (above) are well taken care of, paved walkways from boys, including her own son, Juliana hopes
patch as parent-volunteers at the St. Francis Kids the shaded bus-stop to the flat, from the to stir up their love for nature.
well as Club in the parish of St. Mary of the air-con bus or car to the home. They are
an Angels. The club provides faith formation not used to sweatiness and the heat. The
aviary for preschoolers between the ages of 3 and eco-farm was like going back to basics, we
the 6. To commemorate Earth Day (April 22) ate everything out of vegetables. There
were no burgers for the kids.
To the North
school this year, Jocelyn Lee, the club’s main
recently set up. The retiree happily shares,
Photo: Sr Wendy Ooi, fsp coordinator, organized a series of activities The parents were more enthusiastic at Wilfred Abrigo, a Filipino Catholic who
“I love nature and I love planting so I for the children. With St. Francis as patron the eco farm. The kids were complaining, attends church services at the Cathedral of
volunteered to take care of the plants and saint of ecology, the goal was to inculcate ‘it’s so hot’ or ‘so many mosquitoes.’ But the Good Shepherd, is an employee of
the aviary, just to occupy my time. I make in the children a love and care for creation. there were also younger children who were Agilent Technologies, a global technology
the children happier and make the place This included setting up a butterfly garden very interested in the farm animals.” company. This year Agilent launched a
greener.” In the process, Steven also says that with Dr. Vilma D’Rozario, a visit to an worldwide community effort on the
he is learning a lot from his work, like the ecological farm (the Green Circle Eco Eugene: “When we were younger, we had environment among its staff. 1700
name of the various plants under his charge. Farm), and bird watching with the NSS at more opportunity to be with nature. Nature employees around the world organized and
was just outside our doorstep. Most of the volunteered in events such as tree-planting,
time we run out of the house. Now that beach and river clean-ups, and restoring
we’re older, we don’t have much time and native vegetation to wetlands. Agilent
so may forget to introduce that to the Singapore conducted a beach clean-up at
children. Now everything is at home, and Sembawang Park. More than 25 bags of
kids play with their Play Station or trash, including non-biodegradable plastics
Gameboy. We now take nature for granted. were collected during the activity which
We don’t even think about it if not for was in the form of a competition.
awareness days like Earth Day. We must Among the 80 employees participating
take part in nature activities more often were several Catholics including Wilfred
until it becomes natural for the child to be who was overwhelmed at the garbage he
aware of nature. Exposure to nature is very collected, “Attending the Sembawang
precious now, and there’s not much that’s Beach Clean-Up project opened a
left behind. We think it’s important to bring floodgate of opportunities for me. I learned
this issue to the children. a great deal on how we should take care of
our environment and preserve the natural
Carol: “After attending the talk of Dr. beauty of mother earth. The activity also
Vilma on the life-cycle of the butterfly and teaches me the value of Responsibility –
after the butterfly garden was set up at St. making things right for the environment,
Mary’s, our six year old daughter, Janelle Orderliness – with its rewards of peace,
saw a butterfly at our house. She achievement and enjoyment, and Initiative
immediately ran to a poster we bought with – being part of the solution and helping
the different species of native butterflies and others. I thought this was a very nice
stuck a 3M Post-It. She plans to mark the project. It puts things into perspective.” ■

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