Helping young professionals succeed in work and life

First Rotaract activity with the Rotaract Club of Subiaco

Hi all!

So many things have happened since I last posted, this one is going to be a very quick one, but I just wanted to share an extremely rewarding experience I had this weekend.

Recently I joined the Rotaract Club and have met a few young people who are extremely inspiring and so driven. This particular activity was, like all the other ones, a volunteer based one and what we did was so simple but so simply enriching.

Let me explain...

For the Salvation Army, we asked people going into Woolies shopping centre to buy ONE MORE non-perishable item - the club would then donate that one item to the Salvation Army.

And it happened...we asked people and they actually brought one more item and dropped it into the trolley set up outside.

I was told that there was a bigger donation the last time the same kind of event was run, but to tell the truth, I have not been able to be part of a voluntary drive like this one, so I wouldnt know better. In other words, I have spent so little of my time thinking of what I can do for other people.

I guess from an outsider's point of view (and I don't mean to be mushy) the generosity, willingness to help an unknown and faith in us volunteers made me reconsider my attitude. For one, I suddenly felt like I was in the moment, genuinely asking for help, but not for me - and I think that made the difference.

I guess what I'm aiming to say is that helping out this weekend propelled me my thoughts to go beyond "I", "me" and extend myself and my thinking to the things relating to the good of the community at large.

There are so many people who need help, but to counter that there are the times when you cannot help thinking 'Where do I start?', 'Where do I help?'. I have thought about this before, and this weekend was a good start.

The person who recieves that extra can of tin food, or has that helping of wheatbix for brekky - that was the goal and by simply spending 2 hours that day, we made a little difference.

A small one, but a difference nonetheless.

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Comment by Fayann D'souza on September 28, 2011 at 10:18pm: Thank you TK :)

Comment by Tristan Kolay on September 27, 2011 at 5:35pm: Well done Fay! Totally agree with you on the ripple effect. There is certainly no such thing as a 'small' good act :)

Comment by Fayann D'souza on September 17, 2011 at 8:14am: Thanks, I have Tristan Kolay to thank for introducing me to the group in the first place....

as for doing small things, its only just hitting me - how our apparently 'small' efforts really do create ripple effects and influence/change the rest of one's environment..and it does matter what you do.

Keep you posted on my experiences.

Comment by Janine Ripper on September 16, 2011 at 9:36am: Congrats on joining Rotaract! I hear nothing but amazing stuff about them. And thank you so much for sharing your story. You have hit it on the head by saying 'A small one, but a difference nonetheless'. Just imagine if we all did something small - the difference we would make?