Wow! Simply wow! Morgan Stanley is donating HK$1.9 million to Operation Santa Claus, setting the record for the largest single donation in the 22-year-history of the annual campaign.
The amount tops the financial institution's record of last year, when it contributed HK$1.4 million to the appeal, which benefits various charities throughout Hong Kong.
The company amazingly raised its donation in just one week as part of its 'Managing Directors' Choir' initiative.
Since December 11, employees were invited to sponsor managing directors and heads of departments who they wanted to see perform holiday carols in a Kowloon shopping centre atrium.
Any executive who received a generous bid was asked to take part in the public sing-a-long, which has been a company tradition for the past seven years. Last Thursday, more than 80 senior executives came together to croon seven holiday tunes at the Elements mall.
Before the choir members began with their carolling, Owen Thomas, chief executive of Morgan Stanley Asia, addressed a large crowd and made an astonishing announcement - the company had raised HK$1.9 million. The crowd broke into wild applause.
'We try to involve as many of our employees and colleagues as possible through year-round volunteering events and fund-raising programmes such as this,' Thomas said. 'We are proud to have been a partner of Operation Santa Claus for the last 12 years and to lend our support again this year.'
Soon afterwards, the executives - who were joined by family members and young ones from the Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children - sang such classics as O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
They finished their set with We Wish You a Merry Christmas, which was met with more applause and cheers.
Later, Thomas said: 'We're very excited for Operation Santa Claus. We're very proud of the contribution that we're making. And we're very appreciative of all the good works that Operation Santa Claus does in the community.'
Of the HK$1.9 million donation, Thomas said: 'I think it's certainly that time of year where all of us want to give back to the community. It's part of the holiday season, part of the spirit of giving back - and I think it was in that spirit that we were able to have this successful result.'
Part of the money will go towards initiatives of the Little Life Warrior Society, a mutual support organisation for children with cancer or those who have recovered from it.
The society wants to extend its programmes in Hong Kong and on the mainland, where thousands of children are diagnosed with the deadly disease each year.
Sophia Leung, chairwoman of the Morgan Stanley HK Charity Committee, visited the society's office at Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin.
She spoke about her visit after singing with the choir.
'Among the themes of things that we want to support are children's health and underprivileged children's education,' Leung said. 'A lot of us feel very strongly - we don't just want to pass the cheque. We want to go to see and feel ... Little Life Warrior has been a great partner to facilitate the volunteering that we want to do in the firm.'
You can help make a difference
How you can give
Donate online by credit card at osc.scmp.com
Donations can be made by ATM or at any HSBC branches: a/c number 502-676299-001 for SCMP CHARITIES LTD - OPERATION SANTA CLAUS
You can donate by cheque, payable to 'SCMP CHARITIES LTD - OPERATION SANTA CLAUS' and mailed to:
Operation Santa Claus, Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, New Territories, Hong Kong.
Donations of HK$100 or more are tax-deductible. If you'd like a tax receipt, please send the completed donation form and original bank receipt, with your name, address and phone number, to the address above
Contact us at osc@scmp.com or 2680 8159 or visit us online at osc.scmp.com