Welcoming Christmas with elderly volunteers

Christmas is a time for giving thanks. Today, I invited 60 volunteers to Government House to welcome Christmas together and to thank them for their contributions to Hong Kong.

All these volunteers are senior citizens over 60 years old, with the oldest one being 88. Healthy and energetic, they have been active in bringing love and warmth to people in need. The Government very much appreciates their good deeds. We will continue to promote lifelong learning among the elderly, and encourage them to take an active part in community affairs and make good use of their rich life experience and expertise to contribute to the community.

At today's gathering, we treated the elderly volunteers to some snacks and drinks and showed them around the building. They learnt to make hanging Christmas decorations with the guidance of instructors, and enjoyed a Christmas carols performance by carol singers from the Child Development Matching Fund. We enjoyed the gathering thoroughly. As a token of thanks, my wife and I gave each participant a gift which included, among other things, fruit preserves that we had bought earlier at the Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo.

I hope that all people of Hong Kong will follow the examples of these elderly volunteers and bring care and warmth to every corner of Hong Kong.

December 21, 2014