It has been 47 years since the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) held its inaugural SICC May Day Charity, in aid of organisations supporting the disadvantaged. Since then, more than $22m has been raised and distributed to 100 charities. This year, as per tradition, SICC kickstarted the annual philanthropic event with a golf game that brought together nearly 700 golfers.

A gala dinner took place later in the evening, with president Halimah Yacob attending as guest-of-honour and first-time patron of the club. Young performers of Ain Society’s Clubskidz Kolintang group worked the stage with a cultural music act, before self-taught singer and SICC member Vanessa Yeo serenaded the crowd with her crisp vocals alongside her talented pianist son Jonathan. Music extraordinaire Dick Lee also spiritedly performed his classic hits Fried Rice Paradise and Home, energising guests in the process for the final and most important segment of the evening—the live charity auction. In total, nearly $1m was raised for 22 charity organisations including Ain Society.