Flagged down

The National Council of Social Service (NCSS) announced it will increase total number of flag days from 40 to 63 in the coming year. Already this year my friend was complaining that she feels like taxi driver on the streets because she keeps getting flagged down repeatedly by requests for donations. Indeed it can be annoying to be approached incessantly in public places especially when you are rushing about.

What makes matters worse is that some of these volunteers have very bad attitudes. I have heard of many cases of volunteers who bug people with their persistent pleas despite friendly gestures of refusal. They eventually give up with a dirty look on their faces. I have even witnessed volunteers who rush towards people and even bump them hard with their tin-cans. Donation should be a voluntary contribution and if a person feels like giving they would do so without the need of pestering.

I have been both a volunteer and a contributor before. My first taste of flag day was a compulsory event organised by the school. It was the free period after the examinations and instead of idling in school, we were made to do some community work. I had filled my donation can with some of my own coins and was quite passive throughout the entire episode. Still I managed to get a decent collection. We all weren't exactly enthusiastic as it was just to pass time.

As one matures and sees more sides of the world, I decided to play a more active role within the community and volunteered for flag days. It felt like a totally different experience as it was out of my own free will. I targeted a crowded area but chose a spot where I did not hinder traffic. I found that a smile entices more donations than shameless begging.

One memorable time was when a child asked his mother for money and his mother hastily dug out 20 cents. I was warmed by his public-spiritedness at such young age and squatted down to bring the can to his level where he can proudly drop the coin in. I gave him a flag and passed another for his mother. She seemed so pleasantly surprised that she reached out for another $2 bill to put in. My simple "Thank You!" could barely express my gratitude. At the end of the day, many volunteers don't realise that their job is to make donors feel appreciated for their contribution no matter how small and the easiest way is to give a hearty "Thank You!". (See Charity a show?)

One thing I also realised is that the charity matters. There are people who have approached me and asked me for the cause. Some politely refused after knowing but I would still thank them for their interest. They would then feedback to me that some volunteers would answer them rudely and commended me for my mature disposition and cheered me on. Being a conscious contributor myself, I am selective towards the causes for which I donate/help. I have walked out of my way a few times just to drop a donation for charities I felt were needy. A few times I even refused to take a flag knowing it would drop off and litter the environment.

Flag days are times when people show their voluntary spirit be it in effort or with money but the way that some of these have been conducted and managed these days, it would just kill the notion and discourage this spirit.