AMONG the 650 entries submitted in the first week for the ongoing The Straits Times, Wherever You Are contest, one video stood out.
Mr Sufyan Adil Supiani, a Singaporean living in Johor Bahru, made a heartwarming video showing him tenderly singing Jason Mraz's I Won't Give Up to three kittens called Chermain, Louisa and Lucas.
The animal lover volunteered to foster the kittens after his friends found them abandoned in a shoebox when the haze got especially bad last month.
"The kittens were fragile and needed a lot of care, and I enjoyed the process of taking care of them," the 36-year old, who is currently unemployed, said over the phone.
In the process, the man who is recovering from a panic disorder found that the kittens comforted him greatly.
"The cats calm me down and remind me not to give up on myself," said Mr Sufyan, who is a budding songwriter.
His entry was among 20 shortlisted for the first week.
They range from a picture of a couple running hand-in-hand across Punggol Park to a video of two young boys watching their first-ever National Day Parade.
No wonder senior money correspondent Mr Goh Eng Yeow faced a tough call picking the first week's winner.
In the end, he went for Ms Selina Wee Su Lin's photo of her 86-year-old father, retiree Wee Thian Lee, reading The Straits Times while having a home-cooked lunch of fried rice and spinach soup. She won $1,000 cash.
Another strong entry came from Ms Ng Gin Wen, 16, a student at Meridian Junior College.
Her moving photo captures Ms Ng's grandmother, Madam Lee Ah Lock, 83, giving her sister Madam Lee Yoke Ying, 86, a farewell kiss before returning home from Vancouver.
The latter migrated to Canada about 30 years ago to live with her children there. Ms Ng's photo was taken on a trip last month.
It was the first time the two sisters had seen each other in 10 years - and it may be their last.
"They are very old," said Ms Ng. "They are wondering if they will ever see each other again."
Such touching photos and videos are welcome in the contest which will run till Aug 23.
Besides a cash prize of $3,000, the top winner gets a trip for two to London and tickets to a pair of tickets to catch an English Premier League match.
