I participated in today's Yellow Ribbon Street Sale Project. I was not sure how I would do but just prayed for the best. It turned out to be a heart warming and delightful experience for me. The last time I helped out at a Flag Day event was back in the 1970s when I was still schooling and I remembered that as most discouraging and it was something I told myself not to get involved in again.
My reporting station was at the Pasir Ris MRT Station. I arrived slightly before noon to report for the second shift. As I moved to the reporting area, there was a big group of volunteers from Pertapis collecting their tins and ribbons. Suddenly, I felt so alone. Kicking myself out of that feeling, I told myself that I was there for a cause and that was most important. As the day passed, every volunteer I saw there either arrived in groups or were from an organisation and later in the afternoon, students. I went as an individual volunteer. Nevertheless, all the volunteers were full of spirit and I could see they were there with a heart.
Within the first minute of standing outside B Exit of the train station, I had my first sale. That had me feeling really good. I started to have a constant stream of donors. I noticed that those approaching from the bus-stop either had purchased a ribbon from those volunteers standing along the pathway or they were not interested at all. Most of my donors were coming out from the train station. It was quiet in between train arrivals. So, I decided to check out the area outside White Sands Shopping Centre. There were already quite a few volunteers. My area at Exit B was much better. That became my territory.
I learned to gauge the reaction of the people as they approached and saw me standing there, smiling at them. 9 out of 10 of those I sensed would donate, did. A few times, I decided to go against my gut feelings and approached those whom I thought would not donate. 9 out of 10 did not donate. A lot of the donors were those above 35. A few of them told me that they had already bought a ribbon at Tampines or earlier in the morning but they still wanted to donate a second time. It gave me a great feeling when I saw people holding the yellow ribbon pack in their hands or had a ribbon pinned onto their shirt/blouse. As they came nearer, I thanked them even though they had bought it from another volunteer. After all, it did not matter whom they bought it from, we were all there for the same cause and my showing of gratitude is free and genuine.
Thank you to the wonderful people who supported the Yellow Ribbon Project by purchasing yellow ribbons from me and all my fellow volunteers. There was one gentleman who had a few plastic bags of items in both hands. He asked me to hold on to those from one of his hands so that he could get his wallet out from his pocket to make a purchase from me. That really touched me. I also had many people donating $2 and $5. Two persons donated all the coins they had which amounted to a few dollars each as well. I approached a primary school girl who said that she did not have money. I told her even 10cents would be appreciated. She took her wallet out and donated more than a dollar worth of coins. Such an angel.
All my ribbons were sold out in 2 hours. If not for my empty tummy and painful joints, I would have gone on to collect a second batch of ribbons.
The sale of yellow ribbons at various places in Singapore will go on until 7.30pm tonight. Once again, thank you all for your support and God Bless Everyone.
My reporting station was at the Pasir Ris MRT Station. I arrived slightly before noon to report for the second shift. As I moved to the reporting area, there was a big group of volunteers from Pertapis collecting their tins and ribbons. Suddenly, I felt so alone. Kicking myself out of that feeling, I told myself that I was there for a cause and that was most important. As the day passed, every volunteer I saw there either arrived in groups or were from an organisation and later in the afternoon, students. I went as an individual volunteer. Nevertheless, all the volunteers were full of spirit and I could see they were there with a heart.
Within the first minute of standing outside B Exit of the train station, I had my first sale. That had me feeling really good. I started to have a constant stream of donors. I noticed that those approaching from the bus-stop either had purchased a ribbon from those volunteers standing along the pathway or they were not interested at all. Most of my donors were coming out from the train station. It was quiet in between train arrivals. So, I decided to check out the area outside White Sands Shopping Centre. There were already quite a few volunteers. My area at Exit B was much better. That became my territory.
I learned to gauge the reaction of the people as they approached and saw me standing there, smiling at them. 9 out of 10 of those I sensed would donate, did. A few times, I decided to go against my gut feelings and approached those whom I thought would not donate. 9 out of 10 did not donate. A lot of the donors were those above 35. A few of them told me that they had already bought a ribbon at Tampines or earlier in the morning but they still wanted to donate a second time. It gave me a great feeling when I saw people holding the yellow ribbon pack in their hands or had a ribbon pinned onto their shirt/blouse. As they came nearer, I thanked them even though they had bought it from another volunteer. After all, it did not matter whom they bought it from, we were all there for the same cause and my showing of gratitude is free and genuine.
Thank you to the wonderful people who supported the Yellow Ribbon Project by purchasing yellow ribbons from me and all my fellow volunteers. There was one gentleman who had a few plastic bags of items in both hands. He asked me to hold on to those from one of his hands so that he could get his wallet out from his pocket to make a purchase from me. That really touched me. I also had many people donating $2 and $5. Two persons donated all the coins they had which amounted to a few dollars each as well. I approached a primary school girl who said that she did not have money. I told her even 10cents would be appreciated. She took her wallet out and donated more than a dollar worth of coins. Such an angel.
All my ribbons were sold out in 2 hours. If not for my empty tummy and painful joints, I would have gone on to collect a second batch of ribbons.
The sale of yellow ribbons at various places in Singapore will go on until 7.30pm tonight. Once again, thank you all for your support and God Bless Everyone.
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