R.U.F.U RUN

Though our SD activities for the month of May have been canceled due to precautions taken for the safety of everyone, we all can still participate in small group homevisits and dialogues, but let's exercise our Buddha wisdom in all these activities, always putting the interests of our members first. Continue to pray for the early containment of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus and the good health of every single member and family.

In the coming month of June, we will still be having of June SD Outdoor Sports Event that everyone's been looking forward to.

Theme: "Rufu" Run (Race of "Unity", "Friendship", "Uniqueness" Run)
Date: 7th June 2009
Venue: Toa Payoh Town Park
Time: 8am - 12pm
Objectives of the race:

1. To bond each institution together
2. To reach out to new friends and inactive members
3. To grow together through this event
   

Judging Criteria:

• Race

(Race only requires each person to run about 400 m.
Those who don't like to run can join in 7 Legged Race.)
- will be tested on Buddhist fundamentals at 1 station.
- Study materials: Discussion on Youth Book 1
Topic 5 & 6: Friendship & Perspective of Life during Youth Part 1 & 2.

o Run: The fastest time to complete the race
(Note: For institution with many teams, will take the average timing of the teams)

o 7 Legged Race: Which team fall down the least number of times
(Note: For institution with many teams, will take the average number of fall down)

• Institution identity presentation (Everyone! Let's chip in ideas on how to portray NPSD!)
  3 Criteria

1. Creativity
2. Unity
3. How spirited is the whole institution

Attire

1. Comfortable shoes
2. Clothes that identify the different institution (Let's wear our NPSD T-shirt!)
3. To bring as little belonging as possible

Recruitment form

1) Need to fill in all information before submission date on 23^rd May.

Let's reach out to all members and friends to tell them about this "Rufu" Run and encourage them to come down to exercise together, have fun and know new friends. Interested participants, pls inform the IICs and CICs!

2) Total of 25 participants in 1 team: Minimum 10 (YWD) and 10 (YMD) per team.
(Can form as many teams as we like)

3) 2 Trainers per team. (1 YMD & 1 YWD)

Role of trainers:
- take care of welfare of runners
- submit recruitment form of runners
- take attendance of their team of runners on actual day

(Anyone in the institution can apply for the role of a trainer. Please inform IIC/CIC asap!)

4) NPSD Training dates and venue:
1. 24 May 09, Sun, 9am @ Fort Canning
2. 30 May 09, Sat, 9am @ Fort Canning

Manpower (Who would like to volunteer as helper, please inform IIC/CIC asap!

1 IIC, 1 CIC and 1 member per institution

- to help out with actual day logistics, will not be running =)

For your info, there will be a trial run on this coming Saturday.

Date: 9th May (Sat)

Venue: Toa Payoh Town Park

Time: 9am

Objectives for the trial run:

- enable every institution to familiarize with the place (look out for safety etc.)

- have a feel of how the run will be like

- gauge the distance and timing of the run

In addition to 2 IICs, trainers and helpers are encouraged to come for the trial run as well. Please let IICs know who will be coming for the trial run asap, ok? Thank you thank you! :)

May 3rd.

"MAY 3 is our initial starting point, and simultaneously, the day we make our final declaration of complete victory. It is the grand anniversary which celebrates our efforts to realise a golden age of supreme spiritual triumph and glory. May 3 is invincible, unshaken by raging tempests. May 3 is filled with jubilation and ever-victorious hope. May 3 is the day which our friends around the world rejoice, celebrate and deepen their determination to keep striving for kosen-rufu."

- Daisaku Ikeda

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Latest news!

All member-based activities including 4 Division, Individual Division, Function & Cultural Groups and Student Groups Activities will be cancelled for the month of May 2009.

This includes the Daily Chanting sessions at centres, Sunday morning prayers meetings, Sensei's Guidance Video, Members District Study, 4 Division Discussion Meeting, Gohonzon Conferment, Lecturer's Study, Indian and Japanese Discussion Meetings.

Note: All leaders and members are encouraged to chant at home either at 8-9pm or 9-10pm.

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Let's do this together, comrades!! This is the true test of faith! This is the crucial moment we must unite, even though meetings are cancelled. For now, the coming NPSD Institution meeting and NPSD 25 Daimokukai will be cancelled too. But our kosen-rufu progress must not!

We have to be responsible for our own health, our families, our friends and for everyone around us, be it the auntie sitting beside you on the bus or the little boy who takes the same lift as you every morning. The swine flu pandemic and the world's financial crisis couldn't take place at a better time. We can encourage our loved ones and support each other in many ways. There's no need to wait for campaigns like VIVO to help others.

We can continue to keep in contact through one-to-one dialogue, small group lunches in campus, phone calls, letters, our NPSD blog, NPSD facebook account, anything you can think of. This is also the best time to practise for ourselves and others. With single-minded & fervent prayers, I'm sure our activities will resume in no time! All the best!! Take care!!

NPSD, Together We Win!