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| Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, November 19, 2001 |
Feature: Sedan Chair Race Running for Charities in Cheers |
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The Matilda International Hospital became a festive carnival wrapped in laughter, cheerful music, colorful balloons and ribbons as the annual Matilda Sedan Chair Race & Bazaar for Charity was held Sunday in Hong Kong.
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The Matilda International Hospital became a festive carnival wrapped in laughter, cheerful music, colorful balloons and ribbons as the annual Matilda Sedan Chair Race & Bazaar for Charity was held Sunday in Hong Kong.
With the objective of supporting a range of local charities, the Matilda Sedan Chair Race has, since its inception in 1975, raised over 28 million HK dollars (3.6 million U.S. dollars) for over 50 needy causes in Hong Kong.
The colorful array of teams, many in outlandish costumes, are cheered on their course by spectators around Mt. Kellet Road, following the original route transporting patients arriving by Peak Tram to the Matilda International Hospital.
Jane Parry, a PE teacher of the Sha Tin College, brought her one-year baby here to cheer for her students.
"The event encourages the students to be physically fit and to be helpful to the needy," she said.
Though her students failed this year to keep their championship for the fastest runners, she said that does not matter because the aim of the event is charity.
The funny costumes and the specially-designed sedan chairs were the biggest features of the event.
The staff of the PricewaterhouseCoopers painted their faces green to look like Shrek, the lovely cartoon figure with an ugly face but kind heart. The Gammon Construction Ltd team decorated their sedan chair into the shape of a bright yellow bulldozer.
The Shun Tak team and the Colliers Jardine Property Management Team happened to both dress themselves like the football players as China's national football team entered the World Cup finals last month.
The history of the race dates back to 1907, when the Matilda Hospital was first opened. At that time, sedan chairs were used to transport patients from the Peak Tram terminus to the Matilda Hospital due to the traffic inconvenience.
In 1975, the first sedan chair race was held after the hospital was refurbished, attracting four teams and the money raised was donated to only one charity -- the Bradbury Hospice.
It grew rapidly in size to include teams from all walks of Hong Kong life, including HSBC, Jardine, Swires, local clubs, restaurants and bars, law and accountancy firms, Matilda midwives, The Hong Kong Police, national associations and schools, and now benefits around 30 charities.
Teams of eight runners transport a sedan chair around the course, with a passenger who must be "over 16 years of age, alive and human" -- however, ladies and school teams are permitted to carry a dummy weighing not less than 25 pounds (11 kilograms).
The race awards prizes for the best "dressed" chair, the team capturing the Spirit of the Event, a trophy for encouragement and recognition of team effort and the team providing the most entertainment.
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