‘Ride of Hope’ sees former athletes give back to community

Eight sporting legends and members of the Malaysia Classic Motoring Association recently treated youngsters from the Shelter Home for Children in Petaling Jaya to rides in 18 classic cars.

SUBANG JAYA: Smiles lit up the faces of 30 youngsters from the Shelter Home for Children in Petaling Jaya as they enjoyed a special day out on Feb 8 during the ‘Ride of Hope’ convoy.

Joining the occasion at Restoren Seri Mahkota in Puchong were eight former national athletes, who gave up their Sunday to offer encouragement, inspiration and a memorable experience to the children.

The sporting legends, together with members of the Malaysia Classic Motoring Association (MCMA), treated the youngsters to rides in 18 classic cars from the 1970s and 1980s, including models from Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Jaguar and the iconic Volkswagen Kombi.

The children were later treated to lunch, where two former National Sportswoman of the Year award recipients, Datuk Zaiton Othman and G. Shanti, handed out chocolates.

The event was organised by former national 400m hurdler Kenny Martin, with support from Datuk Noorul Ariffin Abdul Majeed, president of MCMA and a former national 3,000m steeplechase runner.

Other former athletes present included S. Selvaraju (hockey), Datuk Foo Kok Keong (badminton), Hamdi Jaafar (athletics) and Airil Rizman Zahari (golf).

“This convoy is more than a parade of classic cars. It is a ‘Ride of Hope’ — a symbol of unity, compassion and shared responsibility,” Martin said.

“As athletes, we know discipline and teamwork build champions. As a society, those same values build stronger communities.

“I have been a volunteer at this Shelter Home for Children since 2006. This year marks 20 years of my journey with them. Now my wife, Mary, is the manager of Home 2.”

Martin also acknowledged former national athletes K. Maheswari, Gerard Sinnapah, S. Suriagandhi and Harbans Kaur for their past support, saying their dedication showed how the sporting spirit continues to live on through service to society.

He added that the partnership between MCMA and the Educational and Skills Empowerment Foundation aimed to foster a sense of belonging among the shelter’s residents.

“Riding in these classic cars made them feel special, and we were able to instil goodness and hope as they continue with their lives,” said Martin.

Addressing the children, he said: “You are the heart of this event. Your dreams matter, your courage matters, and your future matters. Believe in yourselves, because the nation believes in you.”

Noorul Ariffin, former chairman of the National Athlete Welfare Fund, said the initiative was part of a wider effort by former national athletes to give back to the country and community.

“We brought them together and introduced them to the younger generation, who had the opportunity to gain motivation, education and knowledge, as well as experience how car technology has evolved over the decades,” he said.

Noorul Ariffin added that he hoped more former athletes would contribute to society, particularly communities in need of inspiration and positive role models.