Sai Kung’s big heart is showing again as the community reacts to the Daniel Groshong tragedy. At Steamers, Assistant Manager Kee erected on the bar a silver-framed plaque in honour of Daniel, seeking donations for his wife Menzi and the children, Ago Patrick, 16, and Anna May, 13. At Poets, Manager and Licensee Rose, who is Indonesian, asked a customer how to write the English for a similar plaque. She too was setting up a collection box.
On Sai Kung Dirty Laundry*, a social media chatroom, Tim Turner wrote: “My apologies if this is not the correct forum to post this. However there has been a lot of Sai Kungers who have been wanting to assist Menzi and her family at this difficult time. At the moment Menzi and her children are in Dili, Timor, where Dan is being laid to rest on Thursday. We are working closely to set up a fund for Menzi and the family. We will also be having a memorial service in Daniel’s memory at a later date…”
Rose, a friend of Menzi, said she is expected to return to Sai Kung with the children on August 28. A memorial and perhaps a wake for Daniel will follow. Details on how to donate to the fund will be published. Steamers will be heaving today as the community celebrates the quite iconic watering hole’s passing and doubtlessly Kee will find his collection box for Menzi is too small.
Daniel, killed at only 54 with two others when a tree fell on his car in East Timor, had the heart of a social worker. He was a press photographer who covered the conflict in East Timor in the 80s and 90s. Daniel fell in love with the East Timorese and their beautiful country, devoting his life to developing eco-tourism and supporting poor farmers. See the BUZZ story above.
BUZZ will keep our readers updated on any developments/
* BUZZ expects another polite bollocking from Mark Peters, custodian of Sai Kung Dirty Laundry. He says it is a closed chatroom and what people have to say should remain within it. Up to a point, M’Lud. Sometimes matters of over-riding concern emerge and they should be widely publicised. One such case was reports of kayaks that later sank being rented at Sha Ha Beach. SAI KUNG BUZZ’s report led to a marine police investigation.
Is this really the right forum to bring this stuff up? Let’s keep it about Daniel and Menzi and the kids ok? Mark Peters was never that bothered about the kayak story-it was people like me that had words attributed to them that were manipulated by you guys! So let’s keep it tidy ok?