CHAN KWAI FONG PJK (deceased) One of the most senior members of The New Club, Taiping is Chan Kwai Fong. He joined the club in 1970, initially attracted by the noble game of golf, but soon he was immersed in the many other activities TNC had to offer. His talents were soon sported by the Club management and he was roped in to serve in various ad hoc sub-committees. He was elected to serve on the General Committee for one term and assisted the TNC 121 st Anniversary Celebration Organizing Committee as Organizing Secretary. Golf was the mainstay of club activities in those days. Most of the active members were golfers. Our old golf course was a hive of activity daily, Golf was very much enjoyed and our short 9-hole course sited around the beautiful Lake Gardens was crowded with intrepid golfers, each trying to outplay their playing partners for that little pot of gold (which would be a couple of golf balls) which went to the winner of the group. There was much fellowship and camaraderie amongst the golfers. After each round of golf, they would gather at the Bailey Verandah to foster fellowship, settle their bets and down a pint or two. Kwai Fong was amongst the dedicated band of Golf Sub Committee members He was the Golf Secretary for several years and was even the Vice Captain for one term. But swimming was Kwai Fong’s passion and his forte. It was around the swimming pool that Uncle Chan (to most of the younger members who frequent the poolside) excelled and where he dedicated most of his 45 years of yeomen service to the club. Without fail, the Swimming Section would organize its annual swimming gala - a much looked forward to event for the club swimmers. Kwai Fong had trained and groomed a band of fellow workers in the Swimming Sub Committee who also contributed much to the great fun time at the poolside Uncle Chan also introduced lifesaving activities to club members, Many club swimmers, young and old, men and women have benefitted from attendance at lifesaving classes conducted by Uncle Chan, including Club President Tang Yuet Mun and Swimming Chairman Dr. Guna, who both hold the coveted Bronze Medallion – a recognized and accepted lifesaving award.. TNC publishes a quarterly newsletter which is the envy of many other clubs. The newsletter is tastefully presented with sufficient colourful pictorial coverage to entice readers to want to turn to the next page. The reports of various activities are brief but well written. The editorials are pillars of excellence and often contain comments of topical interest. In fact the TNC Newsletter is a benchmark for other clubs to emulate. Preparing the publication of a newsletter even for a small club like ours is a long and tedious task and the uncooperative attitude or perhaps tardiness of those chairpersons who are tasked with submitting reports and photos does not make the editor’s job any easier. But life must go on and each issue comes out faithfully albeit often late. This is the heartaches Uncle Chan has to take in stride, and lose much sleep over if he has.to. This is the type of dedication TNC is blessed with amongst its members, and that is one of the reasons why TNC, even with its 130 years of history, remains relevant. Thank you, Uncle Chan, for being there for us. At an age when many of his contemporaries have fallen off their perches and are pushing up daisies in the field, many club members wonder what inspires Uncle Chan. With old age, grey hair and dimming eyesight, many old folks like Uncle Chan would rather plop themselves into a comfortable armchair, put up their legs and read a good book or enjoy watching a Korean movie on TV. As he reflects over the past 45 years of distinguished and dedicated service to TNC, he quips, with a twinkle in his eyes, “The best is yet to be” From the bottom our hearts, THANK YOU Uncle Chan for almost half a century of unparalleled and brilliant service to our club.