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Scouts and Girl Guides across Singapore banded together recently to write letters of thanks to the island’s frontline healthcare workers.

The letters were handed off at a very special ceremony on 1 March attended by Madam Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore. Scouts and Guides representing the eight participating groups sang a song of thanks and then presented the letters officially to SingHealth and representative healthcare workers.

The campaign, called “Scouts & Guides Care”, was the initiative of Expat Living’s own Melinda Murphy, who is actively involved in both USA Girl Scouts Overseas and BSA Cub Scouts. “I’m a leader of Cadette Girl Scout Troop 82 and I could tell my 14 girls were nervous about the coronavirus. I wanted a way to empower them, and I thought writing letters to the healthcare workers would be a great idea seeing as the whole globe is praising their efforts. They are working so hard and we’re grateful.”

Melinda contacted her friend Philip Tan, the chair of Community Chest, for some direction about where to send the letters. “One phone call later,” Melinda laughs, “and my idea went from organising 14 girls to 18,000 kids!”

The letters were written over a span of two weeks by eight different Scout and Girl Guide organisations. Those participating included: USA Girl Scouts Overseas (Singapore), Boy Scouts of America, French Scouts in Singapore, British Scouting Overseas, British Girlguiding Overseas, ANZA Scouts, Scouts Australia, Girl Guides Singapore and the Singapore Scout Association. All told, the 18,000 youths represent 30 nationalities.