Marathon's event on facebook.
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It is slowly becoming a tradition for me to take part in the AI marathon. This year I had quite an important role of an organiser, I brought music to share and chose films to watch, at the end I had been counting and packing letters, I advised people who came for the first time how to start writing etc. I believe that this action is one of the best I take part in every year because it enables both some social interaction (actually, most of the people come rather to see their friends and write with them, not for writing mainly), entertainment (music & films), and helping the prisoners of conscious at the same time.
However strange it sounds, I would change nothing in the action. This year everything was prepared in a very professional way thanks to the founds my group got from the Foundation. There was food (cookies, lollipops, tea, coffee, juice), an electronic meter of letters, my friend J. had a performance (he plays saxophone), nothing seemed to be lacking. I am also glad about the final number of letters, 1767.
What I have learnt about myself through this activity is that I sometimes lack courage to do something on my own, to share my ideas with other people but if they are, like in our AI school group, having at least a bit of interest, I am able to feel motivated and really work harder than I would expect. Preparing a marathon, planning it and discussing took a lot of time but was worth it.
All the photographs below were made by me during the marathon.
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Time: 9 h
Type of activity: writing an application for the grant for the AI school Group
The Leszek Podkański Foundation works in collaboration with our school. As there is a program of school clubs developing, the foundation offered the 10,000 zl grant for the best plan of charity action. That would be later carried out by the members of the club, in particular for children from poorer families near Lublin as this is the main interest of the foundation in general.
Me and and my classmates Mateusz Kusio, Olga Osuchowska, Joanna Sztandera, and Joanna Wośkowska, worked on preparing the project for two days. I played quite an important role of noting any suggestions and sending effects of our work to AI group supervisors, Mrs Katarzyna Olejnik, Mr Tomasz Kalbarczyk, and Mr Maciej Kiwała who shared their concerns and ideas for changes. These mainly included estimated costs of actions and making the list of aims that had to be the beginning of the document more detailed. The final plan in the grant includes preparing and carrying out the Marathon of Writing Letters, a lecture about human rights for AI school groups in Lublin and any volunteers from our school, preparing a series of workshops for students from primary schools outside Lublin.
I am very proud of the final effect because it was the first such a serious document I worked on largely independently, with minor changes from teachers. I really appreciate the fact that the work, even though took over nine hours, still found all our group involved in writing motivated, not quarrelling and generally facing towards the best version possible without complaining and wordiness. That was a very optimistic message for me, knowing this is possible. There is nothing I would really like to change. The only thing now is to wait for the final decision of the foundation and the Headmaster.
EDIT 24.11.10: all the money we wanted in the project (almost 2,000 zl) was given!
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Time: 1 h
Type of activity: organisational meeting
The today's meeting was the first serious one with not only the coordinator of my volunteer work but also other people collaborating with the organisation. It was a chance to see how the organisation looks from the inside, and to share my ideas with others. However, I was really stressed with the awareness of meeting many new people that I do not know. To my relief, people turned out to be really friendly and, what is even more important, concrete. I got to know I could help with organising the Christmas Eve or packing presents for members.
I also shared my ideas for meetings with my Spanish teachers or friends that have been to an exchange in Mexico, and they could tell something about their travels and foreign cultures. What made me optimistic is the fact that my ideas were taken with unexpected enthusiasm. My current plan is to talk with them and see if they would be interested in taking part.
Notes from the meeting. First two are connected with the next appointed assemblies, on 10th and 17th, related to making Christmas cards for the wards of the foundation and a meeting with them a week later, both I will not be able to attend due to the fact of having classes at the very same time. However, the meeting on December, 2, is the one I think I could go to be on because, even though it is not organisational, all the volunteers from the whole city are invited, and I could get to know them.
What I really liked about the whole meeting was the fact I did not have to feel incomfortable despite my lack of experience. Everyone seemed to actually appreciate my good intentions, and willing to listen. It gave me a real stroke of optimism, and I really want to continue my action.
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On October, 7, there was the Day of Volunteer Work organised in my school. The event was a chance to get to know about the organisations working in the city, and to enter into cooperation with any. Mali bracia Ubogich (Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly) is the one that aims to avoid marginalisation of the elderly, especially ladies, and help them keep in touch with other people.
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