Flair bartender Koji Kitano entertaining guests at a Kuriya Penthouse party. Mr Hiroshi Tatara is on the extreme left. --PHOTO: RE&S ENTERPRISES

HIGH-END Japanese restaurant Kuriya is appealing to its well-heeled clientele to raise money for needy children.

Ahead of the Kuriya Penthouse's opening in Orchard Central next week, the restaurant has been holding parties for its regular customers, at which it sends out appeals to donate to The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund.

At the first party on Tuesday, attended by 100 guests, chairman and president Hiroshi Tatara of RE&S Enterprises, which runs the restaurant, presented a $10,000 cheque to the fund's organising chairman Peter Khoo.

Together with an earlier donation, Mr Tatara and the company have given $20,000 in all. This does not include donations by the restaurant's guests as the money is still coming in.

The invitations to about 500 guests came with envelopes addressed to the School Pocket Money Fund.

Guests throughout the week were encouraged to donate to the charity instead of sending bouquets or gifts to commemorate the opening of RE&S Enterprises' 30th restaurant here. A donation box was also placed at each party.

The operations support assistant manager of the company's Authentic Restaurant division, Ms Harumi Kawai, said: 'Our company donates to various charitable organisations every year. Since there is a new outlet opening, we are taking this opportunity to donate to the ST School Pocket Money Fund as it helps children, who are the future of society.'

Though the fund has received a boost from efforts by companies, individuals and sold-out ticket sales from ChildAid, it is still slightly less than $2m short of its target sum of $5.7 million, with only two weeks to the year-end.

ayiying@sph.com.sg

Donate online or send a cheque

TO DONATE, make your cheque out to 'School Pocket Money Fund' and send it to:

The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund
Singapore Press Holdings Limited
1000 Toa Payoh North
Singapore 318994

Please include your name, NRIC number, address and contact number on the back of the cheque. To donate online, go to www.donation.org.sg or e-mail stfund@sph.com.sg