Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010 Recap: Dedrick Koh

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Heng Yi-Hui

Find out what Dedrick Koh – creator of Bloggers in Big Shoes, has been up to since Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010. He also reveals what he thinks about the inaugural event, and his plans for the next season.

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Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010 Recap: Nikita Hengbok

Posted on September 28, 2010 by DedrickKoh

Cosplay enthusiast Nikita Hengbok from ihengbok.blogspot.com tells us what she’s been up to since Bloggers in Big Shoes and her thoughts on the event.

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Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010 Recap: Fabian

Posted on September 23, 2010 by Heng Yi-Hui

NUS graduate Fabian Tan has stepped into a new phrase of his life since  the conclusion of Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010. Find out what else has he been up to.

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Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010 Recap: Delcie

Posted on September 13, 2010 by DedrickKoh

Delcie tells us what she’s been up to since Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010. Delcie is launching a line a super healthy and super delicious mooncakes! Make sure you check them out at www.delciesdesserts.com!

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Bloggers in Big Shoes 2010 Recap: Alfie

Posted on September 13, 2010 by DedrickKoh

Here Alfie Cai tells us what he’s been up to and his thoughts on Bloggers in big Shoes 2010!

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Why Project Baby Love is a very real cause

Posted on August 11, 2010 by Heng Yi-Hui

Thanks to some coverage on the Today paper last week, (‘The truth about cats and dogs’ and ‘$1,671 donation helps baby charity hit target’) donations for Project Baby Love continued streaming in despite the conclusion of BBS 2010. As a result, Project Baby Love’s donation target was thankfully achieved.

However, as the donations come in, so too did the babies.

When I contacted Noel early last week, he told me that he was having a bad week with 6 new babies coming in.

I did the math. Yes, it was. Sanctuary House helped 54 babies last year, which meant an average of one baby a week.

6 abandoned babies in a week. That is mindboggling.  Not to forget the 50 babies that Sanctuary House has already come into contact within this year.

It seems like the increased publicity for Sanctuary House is successful, if not too successful. This is worrying and it does reveal the void when it comes to the aid of abandoned babies in Singapore.

When I heard the bad news, I felt a bad taste in my mouth. Ah ha! You see, the publicity of Sanctuary House is encouraging more irresponsible parents. That was what I’m sure the skeptics would say. When I approached potential donors, they were skeptical about donating to Sanctuary House. Their reason being that if people were to know where to ‘dump’ their babies, there would be more abandoned babies. Such a mindset was also revealed in forum comments following the publication of the articles.

Yes, this may make sense. But trying to hide Sanctuary House is a poor solution. The solution is long term education about preventing unwanted pregnancies and inculcating responsibility. However, we do not have the means or time to pull of such an education drive. Such drives need time for results to be seen.

It is slightly disheartening and heartbreaking to hear that helping Sanctuary House is tantamount to encouraging more abandonment. But I beg to differ. Not talking about an issue does not mean that it is not happening. Trying to sweep the issue under the rug simply means that these babies are similarly swept out of mind; in a locker? At a staircase landing? Or in the chute maybe?

Please keep in mind that all babies are born innocent. They should not be ignored in a bid to teach their parents a lesson.

Furthermore, when we immediately think that Sanctuary House is a go to place for young unwed mothers, it shows that we are stereotyping unwanted pregnancies as being only due to irresponsible sex. What about rape victims? And are we ignoring families who cannot afford to bring up their children? Or babies whose parents are incarcerated or dead?

So though BBS 2010 may be over, the newspapers may no longer remind us that there is a vulnerable and invisible segment of society, do remember that there will always be unheard babies who will need our help.

Please keep the help and donations coming.

Project Baby Love

Baby Jane, the first baby who showed the need for a Sanctuary House in Sg

Baby Andrew, whose mother was gang raped

An unnamed baby. Babies with medical complications are often overlooked for adoption


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For Bloggers in Big Shoes, all it needs is love

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Heng Yi-Hui

Now that Bloggers in Big Shoes (BBS) 2010 has come to past. Now is the time to reflect, and to say thank you.

Dedrick had been toying with the idea of Bloggers in Big Shoes since early May. However, it was not until the end of May did Bloggers in Big Shoes find Sanctuary House.

Bloggers in Big Shoes and Project Baby Love was thus officially created and revealed to the world on 24th June and 1st July respectively.

That marked the start of one month of getting the first-ever BBS off the ground. That was one unbelievable month.

To plan and run a public event within one month. It sounds crazy. But we pulled it off.

Yet all these would not have come to fruition without the compassion and invaluable help of all who believed in BBS and Sanctuary House.

Canon, for one is a good example. Bloggers in Big Shoes went bouncing off the walls when Canon generously stepped in as event sponsor. There would be no BBS if there were no money to run the event

The Singapore Armed Forces FC is also an awesome team. What has a football club got anything to do with babies? Yet, the big-hearted men of SAFFC turned up in full force amidst their hectic competition and training schedule to do their bit. They were true gentlemen; how else could inexperienced soccer players waddling around in clown shoes beat them at their game?

Many others have also helped behind the scenes.

Chiu Min from Costumes and Mascots was a dear. Not only did she rush out our order, made the effort to ensure that the big shoes were no hazards to the bloggers, and even threw in free service. We did not ask for anything free, yet she did her best to help us out when she heard that we were running a charity event.

Sports Planet East Coast was also great to work with and helped tremendously to ensure the smooth running of BBS.

We also cannot thank the bloggers enough for taking the time out to train and spread the word about BBS and Project Baby Love.

When we planned for BBS, there was no time for feasibility studies. We simply walked right in and did it. With hard work and goodwill. What could not be achieved?

But we definitely underestimated the overwhelming amount and importance of goodwill. BBS is meant to encourage empathy and goodwill, but to even take place, there were overwhelming help received in the run up to the  event.

BBS was meant to encourage compassion to society at large, and it did. It truly did. So many people did their part to help; giving their time, money and effort.

I am heartened and grateful to all these generous and big hearted people.

BBS is definitely off to a good start.

Noel thanking Liliane from Canon with a unique gift of appreciation

Noel says thank you to Michael from Sports Planet with the Golden Shoes

Unfortunately, Dina whom I had worked closely with and was a great help, was unable to receive the gift on behalf of Sports Planet.

Noel of Sanctuary House and Mr Richard Bok, head coach of SAFFC

The Big Shoes

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Thank you Bloggers in Big Shoes

Posted on August 5, 2010 by DedrickKoh

It’s been over a week since the Bloggers in Big Shoes took on SAFFC in aid of Sanctuary House and its online fund-raising initiative Project Baby Love.

It was a great event, and I need to thank all the bloggers who worked so hard to make it happen.

Delcie in Big Shoes

Delcie in Big Shoes

Delcie -
Delcie really went above and beyond the call of duty to help us. She raised a lot of money for Sanctuary House and her customers were so generous, they gave goods and services in kind to Sanctuary House and Project Baby Love.

She also plied me with many sweet treats that kept me going. When work left me exhausted, Delcie’s pastries rejuvenated me with its awe-inspiring yumminess.

Delcie is like the confectionaries she bakes; sweet and chock full of goodness.

To prepare, she jogged in the rain and got her boyfriend to train her! That’s committment!

BTW, this National Day, Delcie will be at Liang Court for a LIVE 3D Cupcake decoration demonstration! This is a great time to catch her in action and to try her delicious treats (You can get her autograph too. Personally, I would get it on a cupcake.). Find out more here!

Fabian Tan

Fabian Tan from nussoccer.blogspot.com

Jeremy Tan

Jeremy Tan from Soccer with a Vision.

Jonathan keeps SAFFC at bay

Jonathan keeps SAFFC at bay

Fabian, Jonathan and Jeremy -
These fine young gentlemen were invaluable on the pitch. These 3 brothers were the workhorses who kep the game going.

Fabian managed to secure us a training ground at NUS on short notice. And all 3 did a fantastic job in training us despite the short lead time.

They do great work with children via Soccer with A Vision. They really epitomize how soccer can be used to help the community. It was my great pleasure to meet these fine young gentlemen and to play soccer with them.

I wish Fabian all the best in his new job and best of luck to Jeremy and Jonathan as they begin their National Service.

Alfie Cai

Alfie Cai from the House of Gentlemen

Alfie -
I’ve known Alfie for several years now, and he’s been a great friend. When we were looking for a sponsor, he tried his best to help us.

This was the first time I played soccer with Alfie. It was loads of fun.

Alfie is a great tailor who makes high-quality shirts and blouses. His level of service and the quality of his products are exceptional.You can learn more at The House of Gentlemen.

Nikita -
Nikita was a really great sport. Several days before the event, her grandmother passed away. But she had enough heart and committment to play-on for this event.

Her beauty is more than skin deep. In what must have been a trying time for her, she managed to muster the courage to keep her smile and play-on.

She’s a great model and very easy to work with. She’s incredibly nice and friendly too! You can check out her popular photo blog here.

As founding participants of Bloggers in Big Shoes, these bloggers are cordially invited to return for next year’s Bloggers in Big Shoes!

Next year, we intend to have an even bigger event, with even bigger shoes and an even bigger once-in-a-lifetime moment for the bloggers. Stay tuned for more information!

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