If you read my previous blog, I state there my goals for this year, as I'm saying it there's an event forming out, GK (Gawad Kalinga) according to wikipedia: which means to "give care" in Filipino, is officially known as the Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation, a Philippine-based poverty alleviation and nation-building movement.
In the Philippines, Gawad Kalinga is building empowered communities by people with faith and patriotism; driven by a culture of caring and sharing, dedicated to eradicate poverty and restore human dignity.
Its mission is to end poverty for 5 million families by 2024.
This time they organize a "Team GK Build in Rizal Park" Since our National Hero will celebrate his 150th Birthday yesterday (June 19, 2011). We can show our heroism by being part of the Event Builder by helping the event in organizing Rizal 150th Birthday celebration in Rizal Park. They'll be needing 500 volunteers for this event: a. Volunteers Booth Registration b. Marshall the 150,00 participants and c. Tour Guiding. The volunteers will decide to choose from two shift, 6-10am and 10am-2pm. Me and my co-yfc Ate Mays decided to chose the 10am-2pm shift. I was so excited for this event. Like it's my first time to be visible again in yfc-related event and first to attend a GK event. I woke up so early yesterday, as early as 4am, take a bath and join first my family to attend the Sunday Mass.
It was raining hard here in the Philippines because of typhoon "egay". I was tweeting since last Friday begging and ranting about the rain pouring hard only on Friday and Saturday, but definitely not on Sunday. But last Saturday, it didn't rain that hard only during Sunday! My elder Sister, ask me if the event is still on the go because rains not stopping, I said firmly YES. Because I never want this to be cancelled, I wanna be part of this event.
I'm wearing my nike white shirt and my Forever21 pants with my Old Navy Blue flats. I also bring with me my nike white jacket because of the cold weather the rain is giving. but then I'm all wet when I reached the event place before 10am at Luneta Park, where the famous statue of Rizal is located. There were a lot of people wetter than me. They look like they've just got out of the pool wearing all those clothes. I waited for Ate Mays, whom supposed to be my companion in this event. When she finally arrive we immediately go the GK booth but my feet my flats and my footsocks were all wet, its as if you put it in a tub full of water. Ate Mays recognize someone she knew, I forgot his name (I'm bad in remembering names if it's our firstime to meet) and he said to us that the event is put into a half-day because of the bad weather! I was like oh-my-gosh! But on the second thought, given the fact that we are all wet and the stage is very slippery and the booths were being dragged by rain I don't think so too that the event should continue, and beside they also organize a Fun Run, but I don't know what happened to that. So we decide to just separate because I don't think so I can manage to go somewhere anywhere at my clothes state.
So it's not really frustrating, for being not able to help them literally, I mean the fact that you already volunteer yourself ahead of time and that eagerness that spirit of yours that you wanted to be part of it and help is a big point already! But anyhow, there will always be a next time, though this supposedly-first-time-experience of mine at GK was cancelled I'm pretty sure for the next event that I'll still be joining and willingly to help them.
This is the official t-shirt for yesterdays event for all those who volunteered. Well, unlucky for us, the person in-charge for the t-shirt leaves already when we got there.
Some pictures taken yesterday as we walk back to where we will ride going home. This was one of the organizers way of letting people see some of the unforgettable and most memorable part of Rizals life.
