This year, HKCS started a number of fundraising activities. The first HKCS Flag Day on 31 July had been very encouraging. We were able to raise approximately $1,128,000.00 of which exceeded our target of one million.

The goal of this fundraising event was to purchase a new premise for our Parenting Education Centre to facilitate better quality service. The event would not be successful without the involvement of the 2,700 volunteers recruited from schools, enterprises, parent associations, churches, our clients, staff and their relatives.

About 40 social work students from Peking University, China Youth College for Politics and Chinese Women's College participated as volunteers. They were paired up with the youth members of the 'Back to School' project from our Youth Integrated Service. The students from Mainland remarked that this first-hand experience of raising funds through a designated flag day was new and invaluable to them. The event also gave them a chance to understand the youths of Hong Kong better.

We want to thank all the individuals involved as well as the enterprises that allowed their staff volunteer groups to participate. These included bauhaus, Giordano, Electronic Data Systems (HK) Ltd., Kowloon Motor Bus-Friends of KMB and Image by YY Ltd.

We would also like to thank Securicor Hong Kong Ltd. who offered free secure transportation services to collect flag bags from the different collection stops.

Special thanks to those who allowed us to set up Flag Bag collection stops in their premises. They included The HongKong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Urban Property Management Ltd Tuen Mun Government Offices Management Office, ELCHK Tien Shui Wai District Youth Outreaching Social Work Team, Chiu Chow Association Secondary School, Shatin District Leisure Services Office LCSD, Infinity Services Ltd and Ling Liang Worldwide Evangelistic Mission Junk Bay Divine Grace Church.

We would also like to thank the companies and organisations that generously donated gifts and coupons as souvenirs to the volunteers. They included The Worldwide Bible Society Ltd., Saint's ALP Teahouse, Lincall International Company, BSI Industrial Ltd., Sinoluxe Industrial Ltd., Ho Hing Lung Foodstuff Co.Ltd., Hon Wing Books Co Ltd., Child Evangelism Fellowship(HK), Chinese Alliance Press and Breakthrough Book Gallery.

Your generosity and support are deeply appreciated by every one of us at HKCS. We will make full use of the funds raised and strive for high quality service to serve the community.