Since I'm more used to being "backstage" during these events, it was an eye-opening experience to be on the front line. Below is a moment-by-moment recollection of my morning:
9:00 am - Arrive and receive my sign and bucket.
9:05 am - Go to my street corner and make pleasantries with another volunteer, who then asks me to fill in for her as she takes a "potty" break.
9:06 am - I'm suddenly aware of how weird I must look pacing the street and become self-conscious.
9:15 am - Still no donations. Am I doing something wrong? I don't really have a gimmick like some of the other volunteers do (waving incessantly with reindeer ears on).
9:31 am - Booyah! Someone in the second lane rolls down their window. I'm so excited I begin my sprint when I notice another car in the first lane (thankfully slowly) coming at me. Note to self: look before you leap, idiot.
9:41 am - Nice woman hands me what looks like $6. Then she realizes she's giving away a $5 bill and pulls it back, leaving me with $1 AND a fortune (from her Chinese dinner last night?) that says "Your luck will completely change today."
9:50 am - Someone in their car reaches for what I think is cash and turns out to be a water bottle. The first of many disappointments that morning.
9:53 am - I've gotten a few more donations without being run over. (My favorite was a guy with a tiny lump of change...who only gave me SOME of it. Guess he couldn't part with the rest of his 58 cents.)
10:00 am - Check the crackberry. Fighting the urge to reply to e-mails.
10:05 am - I begin to notice that EVERYONE is driving while talking on their cell phones!
10:10 am - Dare I step onto the Starbucks driveway?
10:11 am - I dare.
10:14 am - Hmmm...what's for lunch?
10:15 am - I notice someone has left a coffee cup in front of a fake lamb made out of bark. This is funny to me, but no one is around to point this out.
10:25 am - Yawn.
10:32 am - I've been notified by two perky volunteers that my new position is at the median of another street. I head over.
10:49 am - Two teens get off a bus and immediately run across the street to donate some change. I notice they're wearing fast food uniforms and are probably in need of this money, so I think their donations are especially nice.
10:58 am - My time is up and I head back to the volunteer station. I decide if I were a panhandler I would be quite happy with my take.
3 comments:
You crack me up! Way to go, do-gooder. I'm always terrified for those people that are taking donations from cars. Brave soul!
Talk about a worthy organization. One of my grade school friends had CF and the foundation sent her and her family to Disney World and also arranged for her (and myself, as her friend) to meet the author of the Baby-sitter's Club books. She passed away several years ago, so young, but I know those memories meant a lot to her.
Was that fortune meant for the children that will be recipients of the foundation's donations?
Yep - all the money goes to the Foundation. Very worthy cause - I saw first-hand how families and friends (like you) were impacted.
I knew someone in high school who also recently passed away who was a Make-A-Wish recipient.
Way to go Cindy, I can't believe you were so brave to stand in a median on a Memphis road!
BTW, I did call in & make a donation (when I heard they were giving $25 gift certificates to restaurants!)
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