iWalk Campaign

written by Lee Ting An, Junior 1 Higgs, Class of 2015

Do you like to walk? Do you find the need to move around overpowering? Do you love to stay fit and healthy through constant, vigorous exercise? No? Well, neither do we! Which is why we’re glad to say that on this 15th of June, while the more athletic Cempakans give up their weekend to join the Interact Club’s walkathon and do some good for the community, we will be standing in the shade, giving you water and cheering you on.

Cempaka Damansara’s Interact Club has a long history of helping underprivileged children in our local community. In last year’s book drive campaign, we gathered over 5000 books through donations of the generous Cempakan community and distributed them to two different orphanages. I’m sure the Interactors remember carrying mountains of books and building a few Ikea bookshelves that I sincerely hope are still standing. While this may not seem like much, these structurally unstable shelves are filled with the greatest charity that we can provide them with; the great gift of reading. It's unique in the way it comes with the ability to educate themselves and pave their way for a brighter future.

In line with this theme of educating children who are less fortunate, we’ve decided to take a step further in the same direction. This year’s campaign, named ‘iTeach iLearn iGrow’, is geared towards providing these kids with an education better suited to the current, modern, technologically-driven world and we aim to do this by imparting unto them some basic, essential, computer skills. In an age dominated by internet and smartphones, knowing even just the bare basics like email will propel them to greater heights when they reach the working world. Not just that, we're imparting knowledge that we've been fortunate enough to obtain what with our education in Cempaka. 

To educate these kids, we have to start at the basics. And before we even consider that, we have to get them those computers. Which is why we are holding ‘iWalk’, our fundraiser walkathon organised with the dual purpose of engaging and interacting with our fellow Cempakans as well as generating funds for our campaign. On the 15th of June, around 250 Cempakan students, teachers, alumni, other Interactors and representatives of Rotary Club Pantai Valley, District 3300 will be walking 4.5 kilometres at the Bukit Kiara Park for a noble cause. 

Later on this year, our Cempakan Interactors and volunteer students will teach the children from ‘Shelter for Children’ home in Petaling Jaya in a series of workshops called the ‘Technology Workshops’. They’ll be taught the absolute basics and essentials of using a computer such as email and internet before slowly moving on to more advanced programs like word-editing and presentation software on computers bought through the generosity and sweat of Cempakans. Armed with this knowledge, they will be better prepared to enter the real world later on in their lives, able to obtain better jobs and fully provide for themselves.

To those who are coming, we promise that even as we sit down in our shaded ‘rest-pondoks’ along the daunting trail to make it as fun for you as possible. The walkathon is a paired event, meaning those who attend have to do so with a partner, and there are some checkpoints along the way to ensure you enjoy the experience. If we’re not entertaining enough to keep you occupied the entire trail, there are plenty of monkeys up the hill (Did we mention it’s a hill? No? Whoops.) who’ll gladly lighten up your day and steal your food, which we will provide. Just remember when you’re panting up the steep incline with a friend who’s begging you to carry him that you’re running (walking) this race for a good cause.

We'd also like to thank our many sponsors for their vote of confidence in our endeavours, Dominoes, Ecotint, GSD Architecture, Proactive, Munchy's, Nestle, and our very own Cempaka Incorporated for the lovely banana nap sacks. Your contributions were a vital aspect to our success.

Did we say race? Keep in mind that although it is a competition with prizes to be won that you are not allowed to run at any point on the trail (thus the word ‘walk’ so subtly implemented into the event name). Placings will have to be decided by how fast you can walk without us deeming it as running and the speed with which you can finish your checkpoints. If you manage to bypass all the monkeys on the trail, you'll be up for our wonderful technology-themes prizes! First prize is a 2GB iPod shuffle, 2nd prize an @muse powerbank, 3rd prize a Superman/Darthvader 8GB pen drive and hampers worth RM50 for the remaining seven places. On a last note, we’d like to thank all of you for your support, and we hope you have fun!

Here's a brief announcement to all iWalk participants:

Do meet at Bangunan Bakti Siti Hasmah (6 Jalan Changkat Abang Haji Openg, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur) LATEST by 8.00am on the 15th of June, Sunday for registration and payment which begins at 7.00am. Please be punctual! A map to the place is attached below. 

A light breakfast will be provided in your goody bags after registration, along with our iWalk event T-shirt which all participants must change into. As for attire, we suggest long pants (due to mosquitoes), sports shoes, mosquito repellant as well as a raincoat just in case of bad weather - fingers crossed! Each pair must also have at least one charged phone with a working camera application which is necessary during the checkpoints.

Hope to see everyone there, join us in walking for a good cause! Also, do follow us on twitter : @cempakainteract for more updates/sneak-peaks on iWalk!

"Service Above Self"

Thank you
Interact Club,
Cempaka Damansara