Directors of La Salle Foundation Limited

The La Salle Foundation is a charitable institution whose principal functions are to promote and advance in all aspects education at La Salle College. Given that many of the facilities at La Salle College and the La Salle Primary School are above the standard which the Government will maintain, the Foundation has contributed to plan and oversee major improvement and renovation projects of the Schools.

The membership of the Foundation is restricted to 50 and is made up of Brothers and old boys, each having been invited to membership by the Board of Directors. Among the Directors are Past Presidents of the La Salle Old Boys' Association, a teacher of the College, as well as the School Principal and the President, Vice President and Immediate Past President of the Old Boys' Association. They meet several times a year.

The seed of the Foundation was sown in the summer of 1991 and Mr Michael Sze, with support from the Brothers and fellow old boys, had the Foundation incorporated with charitable status by February 1992. He became the first chairman and initiated major fund raising efforts. In a short period of 18 months, the Foundation successfully raised HK$13 million. Before stepping down in 1997, the Foundation had received donations totalling HK$25 million. Mr Nicholas Ng was elected as chairman to succeed Mr Sze.

From 1997 to 2005, Mr Ng led the Foundation through one of its busiest periods. The Foundation participated in raising funds and overseeing several major projects including the large scale renovation of La Salle College, the re-turfing of the astro-turf field at the College and the installation of air conditioning in all classrooms and the school hall of La Salle Primary School.

With the Government's introduction of the policy for whole day schooling in the primary sector, La Salle Primary School had to be redeveloped to accommodate its 36 classes. The Foundation assisted the Primary School in its submission of a proposal to Government to convert the school building to enable whole day schooling through in-situ redevelopment. This was approved in December 1999 and work commenced in phases as from June 2000. Whole day schooling commenced in the new building in September 2002 and the project was fully completed by January 2005. Mr Ng contributed much time and effort in guiding the Redevelopment Committee and the Foundation received over HK$40 million to cover the cost of non-standard facilities in the new school building. In marking the significance of the redevelopment, Mr Ng also chaired the Editorial Committee of a full-colour commemorative publication "Flourishing High and Mighty".

The Primary School redevelopment project coincided with the College's own School Improvement Programme in 2003 to 2005. Again the Foundation, under the watchful command of Mr Ng, played a significant role in raising funds for the non-standard items. Over HK$6 million was collected, exceeding the target set.

The donated funds held by the Foundation are prudently managed and invested in accordance with recommendations of the Finance Committee. The objective is to ensure there is always a sizeable fund to generate an adequate income to finance not only a regular maintenance programme for La Salle College and La Salle Primary School, but also other worthwhile projects that will enhance La Salle education in Hong Kong.

In 2005 Mr Lester Huang was elected Chairman to succeed Mr Nicholas Ng.

Donations to the Foundation can be made by posting a cheque drawn in favour of La Salle Foundation Limited to 18 La Salle Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong. All donations of HK$100.00 or above may be tax deductible in Hong Kong. For more information on the Foundation, please contact the Secretary Eric Pang at foundation@lscoba.com.

Lester Huang
Chairman

The M & A of  St. Joseph's College Foundation Limited

The SJC Foundation Ltd was formed to mark the 130th Anniversary of SJC in 2005. It was established by the Old Boys' Association with SJC Supervisor Brother Thomas Favier, SJC Principal Leung Cheung Hing and OBA President Paul Woo subscribing to the Articles and Memorandum. The purpose of its formation was to raise funds for the School Improvement Project Phase 1, a project aiming to provide SJC with adequate teaching resources to keep pace with the rapidly changing curriculum and modern advances in science and technology. The Foundation, a registered charitable organization, is headed by distinguished old boy Hon. Dr. Sir David Li Kwok Po as its Chairman with other prominent old boys, including Hon. Ronald Arculli, Dr. Hon. Leong Che Hung, Hon. Jeffrey Lam, Mr. Edward Ho Sing Tin, Dr. Simon K.Y Lee and OBA Treasurer Tony Ng on the Board of Trustees.

Over HK$12 million was raised over 18 months and the new facilities, including the ITLC, ArtRoom, Remedial Room and Staff Room was subsequently completed in August 2007. The new annex was appropriately named the Agabeg Annex in memory of an Old Boy, the late Mr. Godfrey Agabeg who left SJC in 1927 and bequeathed in his will HK$3 million to the Foundation.

Trustee Edward Ho, Group Chairman of Wong Tung and Partners, one of the largest architectural firms in Hong Kong, played a significant role in the successful completion of the project and was known as the One Dollar Man when he charged SJC One Hong Kong Dollar for his professional services. For his contribution, Mr. Ho was presented with the first Labore et Virtute Award ever bestowed upon a Josephian.

With the advent of the 3-3-4 educational reform coming on stream, the OBA is currently exploring possible options under School Improvement Project Phase II to provide additional space to address the acute shortage of classrooms due to the need for small-class teaching.

Please let me know if you need any more information.

Regards

Paul Woo
President of SJCOBA