you guys should still enjoying yourselves at camp but i had to go as i had something on :( sigh, didn't get to see all of you playing yourselves silly at the surprise night activity! really wanted to say a few words before you guys head off to the land of thousand smiles, but i guess i'd just have to do it here!

well i must say, having gone through many generations of councillors, something has remained constant and consistent. the faces have changed, namelists have changed even departments have merged, but one thing remains - OHANA.

the new year 1s might not know what ohana is so lemme just briefly explain this phenomenal spirit that stays in the hearts of all councillors. OHANA basically encompasses "Family" and OHAHA means that no one gets left behind.

that's what we all believe, and guard with our hearts in council- OHANA. this spirit of family has been there since I myself was in year 1 and it's still there. some of you seniors might feel that OHANA is less prominent than it was since the days of the good'old Kuala Lipis where we all slept like 4 hours a day, but i'm telling you, it's still here, and it'll never go away.

the OHANA spirit may be less obvious, but it stays strong! so i'm posing all you councillors a challenge, re-ignite this special bonding, this special feel that we share distinctly as a family through the upcoming Chiangmai trip. I want all of you to display the spirit of OHANA, and give it your best shot in everything you do, for the sake of the family!

throughout the trip, ensure that nobody is left out, ensure that everyone has fun. When cheering, shout your lungs out, when laughing, laugh your hearts out and create memories you'll treasure for the lifetime to come! many of you have said you missed kuala lipis, so what's so fantastic about it that makes all of you want to relive it? it's the spirit that we all felt. the kind of "happiness" leaping in our hearts when we re-heard the cheers we did, the smiles that came when we thought about Lula, Eke, Aeldra and Dyaruu. and the many happy thoughts that surface when we think Suefla and Coewa.

and i want all of you to experience kuala lipis over again, and make it even better with this Chiangmai trip. As you go through the terrains of the wild, i want you guys to help one another, because little gestures like this strengthens the family, it enhances OHANA. When you interact with the locals, i want you to INSPIRE and TOUCH them, let THEM feel ohana. In this way, council becomes more than a family, it is a family with spirit, a family that inspires and gives hope!

and i assure you, chiangmai would be a trip that you talk about while jumping for joy, one that you speak of to your other friends with pride and make them envious and want to be part of the council, part of something special, part of OHANA.

and i see the potential in everyone of you to make this happen! so rmr my challenge, create OHANA, feel it, remember it and spread it. OHANA- no one gets left behind. remember, council = family and in a family, no one quits. council is more than just planning events, more than just leading, council is about inspiring through leadership. and that cannot be done by A councillor, it has to be done by THE council (: and OHANA is definitely step 1. so through this chiangmai trip, find back that OHANA, and create a council that is ready to take dunman by storm in 2010! :D

have fun darlings, wished i could join in and add on to my already thick book of "SC days" but A levels PW doesn't allow it, so have fun and cover my share of fun too! i can cheer really loudly overseas so make sure you make up for that too (:

and stay safe!

love,

ep kang (: