In February CLSA volunteers helped make pineapple ‘prosperity’ tarts and distribute fortune bags to elderly citizens with low mobility or who live alone in Hong Kong over the Chinese New Year.
Pineapple, Feng Li (鳳梨), literally means the phoenix pear. It is commonly known as 黃梨: Huang Li (Mandarin) or Wong Lai (Cantonese) or Ong Lai (Hokkien), defined as yellow pear, or to some, the golden pear.
The vowel “Wong” or “Ong”, in many Chinese dialects symbolizes “prosperity”. Traditionally, pineapple tarts have been served to relatives and visitors during the Chinese Lunar New Year. It is believed that they will bring prosperity and perhaps the chance of good luck for the individual.
Volunteers were divided into groups and baked over 100 of these prosperous tarts. The tarts were packed with other goods to form the CNY fortune bags. Participants also displayed their creative side by making crafts to beautify the fortune bags, which were given away to 33 elderly households the following morning.
This event would not have been as meaningful without the involvement of the whole team. A special thanks to all of the generous participants – Jessica Boh, Tina Pavri, Tenny Lai, Fay Wong, Angela Mak, Samuel Pang and Kathy Yiu and especially the enthusiastic children, who contributed tireless efforts and precious time on both days.