Heroes Run April 10 to raise funds for Seri Mengasih

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Nicholas (4th from right) presenting the mock cheque to Monica (3rd from left) witnessed by Moses (7th from right), representatives from Lonpac and Seri Mengasih.

Nicholas (4th from right) presenting the mock cheque to Monica (3rd from left) witnessed by Moses (7th from right), representatives from Lonpac and Seri Mengasih.

KOTA KINABALU: Everyone, at one time or another, wishes to be a superhero.

So the time has come to fulfil the fantasy and put on a superhero’s outfit, at the same time, do some good for the less fortunate.

Sign up for the Seri Mengasih Heroes Run 10km which will be held on April 10 at the Likas Sports Complex here.

Organising chairman of the run Moses Chiuh told a press conference yesterday that the event was to raise money for Seri Mengasih, a centre for the intellectually and developmentally disabled.

“This is the first commercial run to provide Seri Mengasih exposure and to get donations for the centre. We are also trying to get other coporate companies to help the trainees here,” Chuih said.

He disclosed that they had targeted to collect RM100,000 for the centre and it had so far collected about 75 per cent of the target.

“We expect to get about 2,000 people to participate in the run and so far about 1,500 have signed up. I believe we will be able to achieve the target,” he said, adding that there would be four categories in the run, the Men’s, Women’s, Boys’ and Girls’ opens.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners in all four categories.

After the press conference, Lonpac Insurance Sdn Bhd, which had donated RM25,000 for the run handed over a mock cheque for the donation to Seri Mengasih’s Executive Director Monica Chua.

Lonpac is a wholly-owned subsidiaty of LPI Capital Bhd and the sponsorship is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to help the needy.

“While pursuing its corporate goals, LPI Group has continued to step forward in serving the communities in which it operates in the spirit of CSR and highest standard of corporate governance.

“The Group has always committed its role in upbringing the community and has played its role as a socially responsible corporate citizen in the community through various activities held with the aim of caring for the well-being of the society at large, LPI Group’s Executive Director Tan Kok Guan said in his message in conjunction with the event.

Lonpac’s head of Sabah Region Nicholas Wong who presented the cheque to Monica said that the Seri Mengasih Heroes Run is one of Lonpac’s CSR activities in Sabah.

“Through this event we aim to help Seri Mengasih Centre raise funds for its continuous operation, create greater awareness of people with special needs in the community as well as cultivate healthy living among the general public.

“Lonpac has also extended an invitation to all agents, business partners and clients to participate in the event which is for a good cause,” Nicholas added.

Meanwhile, Monica disclosed that the centre needed about RM1million a year for its operational expenses and the amount was expected to increase with the implementation of the revised minimum wage in July this year.

“We now have 45 staff and 110 trainees in Seri Mengasih,” she said, adding that they try to keep the operational expenses as low as possible.

On the relocation plan for the centre, Monica said that the State Government had identified a piece of land for the centre along Jalan Sulaman.

“The relocation will materialize soon. We have just received news about the land and have sent a surveyor to look at the 1.37 hectares area. The state government is allocating RM2 million towards the building fund and we will source for the balance,” she said, adding that construction work of the buildings was expected to commerce this year.

Monica also disclosed that there would be a special run for Seri Mengasih trainees and their parents on the same day of the Heroes Run.

It will take place after the participants of the main run are flagged off and the special run will take place at the sports complex itself where the trainees and their parents would complete two rounds on the track.

Those who want to know more about the Seri Mengasih Heroes Run can contact Melinda at 012-8011971 or Melissa at 011-12058026.