Scaling heights for a good cause: Over 100 take part in vertical marathon by ComChest and MBS

Over 188 participants climbed 57 storeys at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) SkyPark on August 29 in a vertical marathon organized by the Community Chest and MBS. The event, aimed at raising funds for social services, saw competitors trade elevators for staircases in support of charitable causes. The marathon, held alongside the Community Chest Heartstrings Walk later that day, generated over $5.2 million for programs benefiting more than 94,000 individuals across 300 initiatives. These include support for adults with disabilities, children with special needs, youth-at-risk, families requiring assistance, people with mental health challenges, and elderly individuals needing care. The event drew 47 teams from the private sector, government agencies, social service organizations, and individual participants. They were officially launched by Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development and Law Eric Chua. The race required climbers to ascend all 57 floors of the SkyPark, offering both physical challenge and breathtaking views of the city skyline. After completing the climb, participants rested and rehydrated while enjoying the panoramic vistas from the top. The winning team was the Climb Warriors from the Singapore Police Force, finishing the course in 29 minutes and 59 seconds. Among them, Subas Gurung stood out, completing the climb in just 5 minutes and 55 seconds, securing his position as the fastest male competitor. Serene Cheong from the Towerrunning Association of Singapore claimed the title for the fastest female, finishing in 8 minutes and 18 seconds. Both athletes received recognition for their performance, and the team posed for photographs with officials including Eric Chua, CDL Group Chief Operating Officer Kwek Eik Sheng, and MBS Communications and Corporate Affairs Senior Vice President Nicholas Ionides. Among the participants was 68-year-old Pastor Andrew Khoo, founder and senior adviser at New Hope Community Services. He described the climb as manageable due to his regular fitness routine involving trampoline jumping and weight training, along with his experience in running marathons. Khoo emphasized the significance of the event and expressed his intention to participate again in 2027. Later in the evening, approximately 3,700 attendees joined the Community Chest Heartstrings Walk, a more relaxed affair compared to the vertical marathon. This marked the 15th anniversary of the collaboration between the Community Chest and MBS. Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli attended the event. Community Chest Chairman Danny Koh highlighted the organization’s efforts, noting that it had allocated over $17 million to mental health programs in the 2025 financial year, a 30 percent increase from the prior year. Over the last decade, the Community Chest has raised and distributed more than $500 million to support social service programs and capacity-building projects in Singapore. Both the vertical marathon and the walk were part of MBS’s annual Sands for Singapore Charity Festival, which has contributed over $52 million to social causes in Singapore since its launch in 2013. The 2026 edition of the festival ran through August and concluded with a three-day celebration from August 28 to 30 at the MBS Event Plaza. During this time, attendees could enjoy gourmet food stalls, live performances by local musicians, community booths set up by non-profits and social enterprises, and other activities. The festival continued until 11 p.m. each night, providing a platform for raising awareness and funds for various charitable endeavors.