FTK: Some notes on Volunteerism

A big group of SDEAS students and faculty are volunteering their time this coming Sunday, January 18, 2009. Here are some notes from the organizer and some responses from some of the faculty members.

Dear SDEAS Family,

Magandang Araw!

It has come to my attention about the concern regarding the food for FTK volunteers. Thank you, Ate Agnes for being frank and making me realize the importance of explaining to SDEAS family why there will be no meals for all the ate's and kuya's

I have spoken to the FTK'09 organizers about this and told me that DLSU-COSCA FTK will only provide meals for the participants (kids) and school/center coordinator where the kids belong and as much as they want to, but unfortunately will not be able to provide meals for the volunteers (Ate/Kuya).

Below are some explanations of why DLSU-COSCA FTK will not be able to provide foods for us.

· FTK is a special project led and organized by volunteer students.

· 600+ Participants (kids with special needs, including the Deaf) come from different public schools.

· FTK is not funded by the school, students need to start from scratch and think of ways on how to draw budget/resources for FTK this year (shirts of kids and their meals and not to mention other logistical needs.)

Please, let me share to you a very humble story of mine. When I was still in the bank and still new in the "volunteering world", I met Ms. Tess Buenaventura, I remember her telling me that, volunteering is not an easy job..although its fun doing it, there will be frustrations along the way. She was the one who introduced me to Deaf in St. Joseph and I also started volunteering for the Deaf in ICC Pasig, teaching Arts and Crafts. I, together with the other volunteers, use our own money to buy materials and sometimes use our own money to buy meals for the deaf kids. Basically, volunteer in our own expenses. These activities, most of the time "hurt" my/our pockets, of course it has crossed my mind why the heck I was doing? "I've been here the whole day, I'm tired and starved, why my meals are not free? Where will I get my energy for the next activity?"

In my few years of volunteering, I have come to understand this concern, and my apologies for not right away explaining to you about the FTK meals.

I have realized that I'm here to help the kids and make them happy and not to satisfy my own needs, and if ever I've had my own needs, as a volunteer it is part of my duty to look for answer. I am still learning.

Yes there were frustrations but I never did get the real happiness once I have tried being selfless and serving other people, especially the kids who do not need gifts or money or any other worldly goodies but need my precious time to be with them.

I would like to express my sincerest appreciation to all those people who have thought of tapping DBMC to prepare foods for SDEAS volunteers (I have never thought of that.) Yes, it would be better if we just stay with our kids and eat with them.

Thank you very much for raising this concern, I am still learning and thank you for being my teachers.

Good luck to all of us, It's my first time also..hehehehehe. Promise, i will not be late...fingers crossed! hahahaha

Leo Angelo Cabasag

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Thanks Leo for the explanation and the stories.

I think the concern is not so much "why they don't have food" but more of "how can we better have food while we all serve the children same time". We don't want volunteers to drop on the ground due to dehydration, exhaustion and hunger because there is none available within their reach.

If SDEAS has excess then we can always provide COSCA a budget allotment to make sure there is food available for the children AND the volunteers.

But I think the the group is organizing this early on how to resolve that problem. So individuals are asked to share their P120 to make sure food is available and easily accessible to the SDEAS volunteers while you run off and play with the children.

At the same time, it would be good to bring along your own extra food and water for your need or the need of your SDEAS co-volunteer or if you pass on a fellow volunteer who may need some extra cookies or a gulp of water you can easily reach out to the "extras in the SDEAS bag" and share to the others.

Take care of those bones as you run, walk or catch ball! We don't want SDEAS people to return with fractures or sprains and we spend the rest of the term taking turns pushing wheelchairs, guiding people in crutches (ehem!) or carrying each other!

Take care and update us soon. As always -
Techie

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Even in this volunteering efforts, I strongly feel, SDEAS can function as a team. We can salu (compliment) one another in contributing each others skill. There can be direct volunteers- the ones working with the kids and those indirect- the ones helping out the volunteers do their job extraordinarily well.... such as DBMC, photographers, bantay ng bag etal.

O di ba?

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