Doing a little good: A book of the Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore

Published: 2003.
ISBN: 981-04-7172-6
NLB Call No.: SING 798.23087 DOI

Some memorable parts from the book:

On Dusty, the Welsh mountain pony: “Although he is small in size, he is large in heart, and he truly believes that he is a big horse.” ~ Marianne Godwin.

A mother, Mrs Schodeller, whose daughter Charlotte has Pervasive Development Delay: “When your child has a disability, you look for everything. I searched any place I could.” This search led her to a carnival held at the Polo Club where she discovered the RDA.

On Darren Tay, who is Autistic: “As long as Darren is happy to be here, I will let him go for anything that will help him.” ~ Mr. Tay Choon Mong, father.

See also:
Equiworld.net
Infertilefantasies.blogspot.com

All Stars Book

Our group member, Alvan, emailed the group recently about a book project by “an all-volunteer-first-timers-in-publishing-a-book people” that benefits a Downs dance group - All Stars United (www.zendurl.com/allstars). Alvan adds: “It’s the best book on, for and about disabilities, I’ve seen in a long time” and he shares the following review:

I had intended to just flip through the book and glance briefly at the DVD. I was tired. I wanted to sleep early (for once).

I ended up spending over 2 wide-eyed hours on them, a big chunk of it on the film. And it’s not quite half-way through the year, but I’ll like to nominate the film documentary for Best Singapore Film of 2007.

For a wholly volunteer driven work, it’s astonishingly polished. Production values aren’t “world-class” as per buzzword du jour, but it’s all the better for being less than perfect. The sometimes shaky camera, the imperfect lightning, the anywhere goes style of interviewing.. all these give that feeling of immediacy and intimacy - you feel you are right at the scene. You get to see their sweat and tears (ok, there aren’t any shed here actually) and a look behind the scenes and plaudits of love and peace to all… ok, strike the last.

For a film on a topic which could have easily turned mushy fast, it’s refreshingly touching without being corny.

And for sheer pathos, grit, sincerity and humour, it simply shines, like the Y stars this project is meant to benefit, and outshines every other film I’ve watched so far this year. We have the parents, volunteers and the Y stars themselves - teens with Downs - sharing their experiences in the dance/ drama group, how and why they got involved. Sounds dull, but as it unreeled, I started smiling and did so without straining facial muscles for almost the whole running time of an hour plus. There isn’t a single plastic smile in sight, on-screen or off.

You get to join in their laughter and trials, and experience their wonderful sense of humour (watch out for some of the parents’ one-liners), their all-out heartfelt commitment (as seen in the instructor’s short and wicked speech on how he got ’stuck’ with the group), and feel the intense bonding among this special group of extraordinary people - all of them stars.

As they say, “Be a star to someone today!”

Information on how to order the book, here.

Letters to Sam: A Grandfather’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and the Gifts of Life/ Daniel Gottlieb

Here’s a book recommendation by one of the sgLEAD members, Soo Chin:

I’m quite selective about buying books, mainly becos’ I get easy access to good literature as I work in a public library. But there are times that I realise that there are books not only I want to read now, but I’m pretty sure that I’d still want to read again & again in the future. And this gem by Daniel Gottlieb is one of them.

You see, the author has a 6 year old grandson, Sam. The author was candid to speak of how he wept when Sam was diagnosed with autism at his toddler years. His daughter had suffered a difficult childhood & had to cope with his disability (the author was wheelchair-bound some 25 years ago). And now, she has to care for an autistic child for the rest of her life.

It probably may not make it to the bestseller list, but I still enjoy this book simply becos’ it’s there isn’t any bit of self-pity nor regret that is quite common in most literature on disadvantaged folks. The author lives by the hope that one day his beloved Sam may get to fully understand the contents of the letters. There is this understated charm about book, you probably have to read it yourself to experience it.