Mid-Autumn Festival Project
The Leo Club of BAC celebrated the spirit of charity during the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that celebrates the end of the autumn harvest season. As the moon reaches its roundest and brightest form, communities often gather together to express gratitude for all the blessings received so far.
This year, BAC LEO Club teamed up with the Lions Club of Kuala Lumpur to give back to the community.
They invited the children of Persatuan Kebajikan Wen Hua to join them in a heartwarming celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival held on 8th September 2022.
The event was held at Fung Wong Biscuits, KL (Chinatown), an establishment with a vibrant history, which has been passed down through four generations of the Chan family. Fung Wong Biscuits have been serving delicious, traditional Chinese pastries to their loyal customers for over 113 years.
The business has also recently moved from its original shophouse on Jalan Hang Lekir, to a sleek and modern, new location, away from the bustling city streets.
As the last light of afternoon vanished, and the evening took over, the LEOs arrived to begin setting up tables and food for the occasion.
At 6:00pm, the children finally arrived, and the members of BAC LEO Club and Lions Club greeted them. The LEOs then spent some time getting to know the children, becoming buddies with them, and making each child feel welcomed.
Dinner was then served at 7:00pm, accompanied with fun games and a storytelling session about the origins of the Mid-Autumn and Mooncake Festival, which was shared by Lion Kenneth Chan.
There are a few variations of the story behind the Mid-Autumn Festival, most revolving around the Chinese moon goddess Chang'e and her flight to the moon, after consuming the immortality pills given to her husband, the legendary archer Hou Yi.
After dinner, the children were engaged in an arts and crafts session, in which they were given free reign to paint or draw symbols of the Mid-Autumn Festival. There were pieces depicting delicious mooncakes, majestic dragons, and lanterns lighting up the night sky.
There were also paintings of the Jade Rabbit, who was sent to live on the moon with Chang'e, as a reward for its display of virtue during a challenge given to it by the Emperor of Heaven.
The final event of the night was a lantern tour of the venue. Participants walked around with paper lanterns in hand, symbolically lighting a pathway for reunion, as lanterns are often used to do so, during this festival.
The night ended at 10:00pm. The LEOs and Lions bid farewell to the children of Persatuan Kebajikan Wen Hua, and began the process of cleaning and tidying everything.
Overall, it was a wonderful celebration of tradition, togetherness, and community spirit.
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