Sunday will see displays by Hong Kong's voluntary service organizations and by police force’s volunteer groups, which are engaged in various voluntary social services, at the Police Sports and Recreation Club to promote volunteer service.

Over 30 booths from the police volunteer service groups and other voluntary organizations will be set up to display their services and to recruit volunteers. There will also be video show that captures the pleasurable and rewarding moments in the life of voluntary service providers and their recipients in the field.

Offbeat, the police force's internal staff newspaper said over 170 members of the force have already enrolled in the voluntary services.

According to Jawaid Khan, chief superintendent of the force's personnel services branch who is in charge of the volunteer groups, said the groups will be working with the Hong Kong Red Cross, Salvation Army and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR) Social Welfare Department.

Woman Police Constable Gloria Pang said she was keen to offer comfort visits to the elderly at home alone and in hospital or hospices. "I am willing to spend some of my leisure hours with the elderly folk who have no relatives in Hong Kong.

"It is important for everyone to do their part as a member of the community in taking care of the physical and emotional needs of the elderly and to do it in a way that does not undermine their sense of dignity," she said.

Police Tactical Unit Company 2 Sergeant Lam Hok Chim signed up for voluntary service three years ago. Since then he has been engaged in various kinds of volunteer service, including working at large scale carnivals, serving the mentally-challenged, manning the Community Chest donation hotline and even physical labor.

In the last couple of years, he has served as keynote speaker and even host of orientation seminars for up to 100 new volunteers. 　　

"When I first went to help at a center for the mentally-challenged, I was a little apprehensive. But I soon learned there was no difference between their activities and activities of other youth centers.

"What they wanted was to take part in swimming, wind-surfing, camping, barbecues and horse-riding, etc. However, some of them were also physically-challenged, and this did make it a little more difficult for us to help -- but never impossible! "He said.

Serving in the force, Lam said he has to deal with many unsavory and negative aspects of life and his small circles of friends are almost always from among his colleagues.

But, as a volunteer, he said he finds that many of his fellow volunteers are professionals, and it is easy to build up a close relationship with them and with the staff manning the various service centers.

"My son was just 10 years old and I sometimes took him with me as a 'little volunteer.' By doing so, I hoped I could provide him with an appropriate role model and that he would learn to cherish his own well-being, to care about others and serve the community in the future," he said.

In recent years, the Hong Kong Police Force has been advocating a healthy lifestyle that includes volunteer service to the community. Over the years, various formations and individuals have provided many different services.

Lam said civil servants have a considerable amount of leave, which enables them to render assistance to under privileged members of the community.

"I have identified numerous non-monetary rewards that volunteers receive for the help they offer. For examples, we can get to know people from different walks of life, enabling us to broaden our horizons.

"We can have many opportunities to meet people other than colleagues at seminars, enabling us to gain self-confidence and ability to contribute to seminars and lectures."

(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2002)