By Wai Pak and Howard Stanton
There were three groups of young people arrive at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre from 27th of November to 20th of December 2009. These three groups were all apart of the World Challenge volunteer program, aged 14 – 18 years old, numbered 41 in total.
The groups were tasked with designing and building a section of the visitor’s boardwalk, all groups worked exceptionally hard to fulfil their brief and achieve the work that they were tasked with. The groups had limited experience and knowledge of skills needed to undertake the assignment but tackled the job with motivation determination and enthusiasm from the very beginning, in the process exceeding the expectations of those of us here at BSBCC and producing a well designed and built section of the boardwalk.
BSBCC would like to express its greatest appreciation to all the young volunteers that helped with the boardwalk construction. BSBCC would also like to thank all those that made it possible for these fine young people to come over and help these needy animals. BSBCC is extremely thankful and grateful to all three groups for the fund that they donated, as a result of their hard work in fund raising back in Australia. BSBCC will channel the donations into the second and third phase of the construction and ensure that every cent that was hard earned from their fund raising will be put to its best use.
BSBCC and all involved with these three groups were very impressed to hear about all the background research and planning that all these individuals had undertaken just so that they could get to Borneo and work hard for the good of the Sun Bears. All volunteers raised the money for the trip themselves and undertaken individual and group fund raising activities to ensure that they raised the appropriate funds, we at BSBCC salute you all !!
For sure, all these volunteers have gained lots of sweet memories here in Sepilok. Their effort will be much more appreciated when the centre is open to the public and we at BSBCC look forward to welcoming them all back to see and enjoy the fruits of their labours.
1st Group: Smiths Hill, N, Beaches & Wollongong Schools.
27 Nov 2009 – 2 Dec 2009
14 volunteers, 2 leaders
14 -16 years old
Mrs Grant (headmistress, if I am not mistaken) : miffy1@live.com
Donation: RM1600 from every volunteer,
RM2000 fundraised at their school
2nd Group: Aquinas College (plus Howard)
9 Dec 2009- 14 Dec 2009
16 – 18 years old
Leader: Craig Cleeland :cleelandcs@aquinas.vic.edu.au
Donation: RM3040
3rd group: Ruyton Girls School
15 Dec 2009 -20 Dec 2009
15 volunteers, 3 leaders
15 – 17 years old
Kate Guggenheimer (Leader): gu@ruyton.vic.edu.au
Donation: RM9150
5 Comments
To all the World Challenge volunteers,
I personally want to thank you all for sending your time, energy, and efforts to help us construction the centre and fund raising. I hope you all have a lot of fun and learn a lot from the working experience at our centre. The centre is not just for the bear but is also for people like you all to get together and learn more about the bears and the nature. You are our source of energy to keep going. This volunteer experience is a start for all of you to get involve on sun bear conservation. I am proud of you all and hope that you could be the seeds to spread the knowledge and the love to sun bear to every corner around the world. Together we could raise the voices for these sun bears and nature.
Thank you all!
~Wong
Great to see people who live near me helping you guys out!
Yes, There are few people from Australia who are big fans of sun bears and BSBCC but we still need to spread the words to this part of the world for sure! Maybe one day there will be an “Aussie for sun bear campaign”!
super to see the new generation of wonderful people working for this and other causes well done
All I can say is that it was great, and eye-opening, to be a part of it. I’m sure my Aquinas team feel the same.
There is still hope for the Sunbears and I am thankful to have helped however small.