They came. They were celebrated. They were honoured. Who were they? They were none other than our volunteers - the men and women whose invaluable contributions left lasting impression on the people they helped or the couples they united in marriage.

MCDS expressed our appreciation in a special ceremony at the Swissotel The Stamford on 18 October 2003. The ceremony marked the first time that our volunteers, both from various MCDS Divisions as well as volunteer solemnisers and Naib Kadis from the Registry of Marriages and Registry of Muslim Marriages, were brought together.

At the ceremony, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Community Development and Sports and Minister of State Mr Chan Soo Sen jointly presented the awards to 82 recipients. These were for the Outstanding MCDS Volunteer, Friend of MCDS, Outstanding Solemniser and Long Service Awards.

In his opening address, Dr Yaacob highlighted the important role that volunteers played. He said, "Volunteers are part of the informal culture of creating ties that bind all of us and enhance the social safety net for those in need. By nurturing trust and familiarity, volunteerism develops for us a stronger community identity and resilience." He concluded by thanking the volunteers for the selfless contributions they have made as mentors, facilitators and ambassadors of our community.