It was a night to remember for 20 young gymnasts who were part of the ‘SRGC-Synapse Cloud Community Altruist Nite’ charity event on Merdeka Day.
The gymnasts from Sarina Rhythmic Gymnastics Club (SRGC) auctioned off handicraft, artwork and a performance, in an online auction. The proceeds went to a non-governmental organisation, Yayasan Generasi Gemilang (GG).
It was an especially memorable evening for the youngsters, as before the event started, two-time Olympic medallist Datuk Azizulhasni Awang, gave them words of advice and encouragement.
“I was speaking to Sarina (Sundara Rajah) before we went ‘live’, and I was delighted to hear that you girls dream of competing in the Olympics. That is amazing,” said Azizulhasni, who won bronze at the 2016 Rio Games, and silver in Tokyo last month, in the keirin event.
“To achieve that, you must have the four Ds – direction, dedication, determination and discipline.
“You need to know your direction and what you need to do to get there.
“You must dedicate your life to your goal. I sacrificed everything because I wanted to become an international athlete and an Olympian.
“In sports and in life, there will be many challenges, obstacles, and difficulties. So, you need to make sure you have the determination to beat them all. Lastly, you need discipline. It is your spine, your foundation to success. With good discipline, you can achieve your dream.”
Azizulhasni also told the girls they should always believe in themselves, and never fear failure.
“Failure is normal. There is a saying – ‘If your dream doesn’t scare you, it means that it’s not big enough’. So dream big, work hard, always stay positive, and most importantly, enjoy the journey.”
Later the youngsters shared stories behind their handiwork to persuade the audience to do their part for a worthy cause.
Sarina, a former national gymnast, said the event combined the club’s talents and entrepreneurial spirit for a good cause.
“Not only did they have to create something, but they also had to convince the audience to buy it,” said Sarina.
“I’m delighted to announce we raised RM17,700, and I would like to thank everyone who supported the event.”
The gymnasts who took part in the auction:
- Elise Foo Yi Ling, 9, (The Unicorn in Us, artwork)
- Syarifah Aliya Al-Attas Syed Khairul, 10, (A Magical Friendship, Unicorns artwork and pair of shoes)
- Syarifah Alika Al-Attas Syed Khairul, 8, (The Rhythmic Gymnastics Purse, handicraft)
- Zaheera Nasreen Zameen Ismail, 7, (Home Tweet Home, birdhouse)
- Chew Hao Yin, 10, (Four Seasons of Hao Yin, artwork)
- Ashna Ashokan Nair, 9, (The Llama of Dalai, artwork)
- Ruvienaa Raippen, 10, (The House of Ru, artwork)
- Rayanne Lim Jing Xuan, 6, (GingeRay House, handicraft)
- Vera Alyssa Mohd Zayd, 8, (The Unicorn in The Pegasus, artwork)
- Kaelyn Ong Zi Ying, 11, (Dance of Life, performance)
- Hannah So Tze Wai, 11, (The Dolphin Waterfall, artwork)
- Alayna Lim Min Xuen, 9, (The Nature of Alayna, handicraft)
- Boey Wern Fern, 10, (A Fern Dreamcatcher, handicraft)
- Madeline Chan, 6, (The Compassion Cake, cake with Jalur Gemilang motif)
- Lee Qian En, 10, (Tree of Life, handicraft)
- Elyse So Tze Yan, 15, (The Rug of Hope, handicraft)
- Ariella Scarlett Abraham, 6, (Rainbow in Someone’s Cloud, artwork)
- Ashley Caunter-Chin, 7, (Ashley’s Book of Earth, handicraft)
- Zoey Chong Xin En, 9, (The Helping Pandas of Hope and Happiness, artwork)
- Jocelyn Sim, 10, (Dream of Snow, artwork)
