http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,120107,00.html?
| Indon socialite starts club with S$10 membership fee, To join, you... | |
| DON'T HAVE TO BE A TAI-TAI JUST NEED TO BE A TIGER | |
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IT is a social club run by a high-society woman and it has an unusual twist.
Unlike other hangouts for the rich, it does not require you to have lots of cash to join or be related to someone wealthy.
You just need to be born under the Chinese zodiac sign of the Tiger.
And that is the strictest rule of Happy Tiger Club.
In the Chinese astrology calendar, which follows a 12-year cycle, the Year of the Tiger was in 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974 and 1986.
The founder of the club is an Indonesian tai-tai, Mrs Million Atmaja.
An active member on the social circuit, the 56-year-old, whose husband owns a travel agency, formed the club in Jakarta last February because she wanted to come up with unique ways to help people in need.
She even has plans to set up a branch in Singapore.
Speaking in Mandarin, Mrs Atmaja said: 'Since I was born in the Year of the Tiger, I thought to myself - why not form a Tiger club and help others who were born in the same zodiac year?
'There are many people who need help, and it is hard to reach out to everyone. So if I could narrow it down to those born in the Year of the Tiger, I can help more effectively.'
When you join Happy Tiger Club, you subscribe to the clause that a tiger in need has a friend indeed. Your monthly subscription fee of $10 will be used to help other members if they need financial help.
To join, you just pay $10 too.
Mrs Atmaja roped in her friends born in the same year to form the club and started with only 14 members. The figure doubled in just two months.
Today, the club has more than 280 members.
She said: 'As more people got to know about the club, the membership started to grow. I often get people who are not born in the Tiger year asking if they can join the club. But I tell them that I am sorry, the club is exclusive to 'Tigers' only.
FORM OWN CLUBS
She said: 'I encourage those born in other Chinese zodiac years to form their own clubs. That way, more people can get help.'
Mrs Atmaja checks the identity cards or birth certificates of potential new members.
The youngest member was born in 1998 and is only 8, and the oldest was born in 1914 and is 92. Due to the eccentric membership rule, members are either of the same age, or have a big age gap.
Mrs Atmaja said club members come from all walks of life, but are mostly from rich and famous families living in Jakarta. She added: 'At the club, there are no status levels. Everyone eats at the same table. We are one big family. Whenever we meet, we are very happy, which is also why I decided to call it the Happy Tiger Club.'
There are plans for a Tiger scholarship in future to help the needy ones pursue their studies. 'The wealthier members are free to contribute more,' Mrs Atmaja added, saying she is looking to adopt a charity as well.
While members are kept posted on the status of the club's fund, she declined to reveal how much they have collected so far.
As the club is less than two years old, she added that they have yet to disburse funds to help anyone.
To draw more people to the club, she said she managed to get some members who own restaurants and golf courses to offer big discounts to other members.
She added that she is still searching for an ideal location for its headquarters in Jakarta.
MONTHLY CELEBRATIONS
Being young, Happy Tiger Club functions mainly for contact and relationship building. Its members meet every month for birthday celebrations.
Mrs Atmaja said: 'These are usually held in restaurants. We also take the chance to welcome and introduce the new members.
'Last Thursday, we held a big birthday party in Jakarta for 14 members. Close to 200 people turned up.'
Mrs Atmaja even placed an advertisement in the Indonesian newspapers to invite those born in the Year of the Tiger to join the celebration.
'We do not have a website yet. I send SMS messages or call every member to inform them of any activities. And for big parties, we place newspaper ads to inform all members and extend our invitation to non-members who are born in the Year of the Tiger,' said Mrs Atmaja, who recruited more than 20 new members at the last party.
On special occasions like Chinese New Year, there are tea ceremonies for the elderly members and the younger ones would give them presents and red packets.
Other than birthday celebrations, Mrs Atmaja, a taiji and salsa dance lover, also organises group lessons for the club members.
'Recently, I met a taiji master from China and he has agreed to compose a special 'Tiger' taiji move just for my club members,' she said excitedly.
Although she may be the club's founder, Mrs Atmaja's husband, 63, and her four children - aged 25 to 30 - are not members as none of them was born in the Tiger year.
But her son Surya, 25, who is studying at Singapore Polytechnic, said: 'I'm really proud of my mum. It's not an easy task, yet her club is growing rapidly.'
His sister, Veline, who works as a hotel sales manager here, said: 'My mum gets calls from people every day asking if they can join her club. Her monthly phone bill is more than $200. Too bad I am not a Tiger, or else I could help her set up a branch in Singapore.'
Mrs Atmaja travels to Singapore once every two months because Surya and Veline are here. While here, she also spends her time catching up with friends and join the taiji and fitness sessions at Botanic Gardens every morning.
CLAPPING EXERCISES
In yet another display of the unusual ideas she has, she even conducts her own 'clapping exercise' sessions at Botanic Gradens. These are stretching exercises with dance steps done to claps, and they have attracted some regular followers.
At her exercise sessions, Mrs Atmaja said she has met Singaporean 'Tigers' who have expressed interest in her club, but she has not followed up on it yet.
She said: 'My dream is for the Happy Tiger Club to have branches around the world. If Singapore has its own club, I will organise trips for Indonesian Tigers to join their activities here and vice versa.'
A Happy Tiger Club member, Mr Afandy Mulyade, who runs an agricultural business in Jakarta, told The New Paper on Sunday: 'I am always look forward to our gatherings. I enjoy the singing and dance sessions. Everyone feels close to each other as we are all born in the Year of the Tiger.'
