Penghu County resident Hsu Li-chin (許麗琴) sold a vacation package on an uninhabited islet she won in a local draw, saying she wanted to use the money to help economically disadvantaged schoolchildren.
Hsu sold the package for NT$200,000 (US$6,000) yesterday to Chiang Ta-lung (江達隆), the governor of Lions Clubs International District 300-C3 in Changhua County.
At the contract signing ceremony in Magong (馬公), Chiang said he would use the vacation rights to encourage other Lions Clubs members to make generous charitable contributions. Those who donate a minimum of NT$200,000 will be offered a free three-day holiday on the uninhabited islet, which features scenic landscapes and abundant marine life, Chiang said.
Hsu won the prize last month in one of three lucky draws held by the county government to entice people to spend their NT$3,600 consumption vouchers in Penghu to boost the local economy.
The prize entitled the winner to spend three days and two nights per month between this month and September on the uninhabited island named Sianjiaoyu (險礁島), or dangerous reef island, in the northern part of the archipelago, which lies off Taiwan's southwestern coast.
It has become a popular vacation spot in recent years after serving as the main setting for a TV romance drama series called the The Plain Summer.
The winner may invite up to seven people to stay on the island, with the county government covering all expenses, including transportation, food and beverage, water activities and trips to neighboring islets.
Hsu said that as Penghu residents, she and her family already enjoy plenty of scenic views.
After noticing that many poor students at her daughters' Wai An Elementary School need financial support for their education, she decided to sell the prize and donate the receipts to the needy children and the local temple, Hsu said.
Touched by Hsu's generosity, Chiang donated NT$100,000 himself to Wai An Elementary School.
Hsu was the second of three winners of the special prize, which is estimated to be worth between NT$200,000 and NT$400,000. A four-year-old boy Yeh Chien-wei (葉千維), also a local resident, won the first drawing for the prize on Feb. 27.
The third winner is scheduled to be announced today, the county government said.
AGING: While Japan has 22 submarines, Taiwan only operates four, two of which were commissioned by the US in 1945 and 1946, and transferred to Taiwan in 1973 Taiwan would need at least 12 submarines to reach modern fleet capabilities, CSBC Corp, Taiwan chairman Chen Cheng-hung (陳政宏) said in an interview broadcast on Friday, citing a US assessment. CSBC is testing the nation’s first indigenous defense submarine, the Hai Kun (海鯤, Narwhal), which is scheduled to be delivered to the navy next month or in July. The Hai Kun has completed torpedo-firing tests and is scheduled to undergo overnight sea trials, Chen said on an SET TV military affairs program. Taiwan would require at least 12 submarines to establish a modern submarine force after assessing the nation’s operational environment and defense
Yangmingshan National Park authorities yesterday urged visitors to respect public spaces and obey the law after a couple was caught on a camera livestream having sex at the park’s Qingtiangang (擎天崗) earlier in the day. The Shilin Police Precinct in Taipei said it has identified a suspect and his vehicle registration number, and would summon him for questioning. The case would be handled in accordance with public indecency charges, it added. The couple entered the park at about 11pm on Thursday and began fooling around by 1am yesterday, the police said, adding that the two were unaware of the park’s all-day live
The coast guard today said that it had disrupted "illegal" operations by a Chinese research ship in waters close to the nation and driven it away, part of what Taipei sees a provocative pattern of China's stepped up maritime activities. The coast guard said that it on Thursday last week detected the Chinese ship Tongji (同濟號), which was commissioned only last year, 29 nautical miles (54km) southeast of the southern tip of Taiwan, although just outside restricted waters. The ship was observed lowering ropes into the water, suspected to be the deployment of scientific instruments for "illegal" survey operations, and the coast
A former soldier and an active-duty army officer were yesterday indicted for allegedly selling classified military training materials to a Chinese intelligence operative for a total of NT$79,440. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office indicted Chen Tai-yin (陳泰尹) and Lee Chun-ta (李俊達) for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) and the Anti-Corruption Act (貪污治罪條例). Chen left the military in September 2013 after serving alongside then-staff sergeant Lee, now an army lieutenant, at the 21st Artillery Command of the army’s Sixth Corps from 2011 to 2013, according to the indictment. Chen met a Chinese intelligence operative identified as “Wang” (王) through a friend in November
RSS