Our Reflections
Our PD's reflections!
27 January 2013
I concussed on my bed yesterday when I reached home after CSC Day. I'm glad that I chose to take up this position and I am here to reflect on my journey as the Project Director.

Many questioned if it is worthy to spend so much time and effort on just a one day event and they wondered what is the purpose of doing so. My answer to their question: it is definitely not a waste of time. Because we know what we want and we work towards achieving it. Our blood, sweat and tears while doing preparations is present a meaningful CSC Day IX: Once Upon A Kampung to our beneficiaries and volunteers.

We have always stuck to our goals when doing our prepatory work:

1. Raising the awareness of our beneficiaries
By providing a platform for volunteers to interact with children, the elderly and especially the intellectually disabled, CSC Day is a great opportunity for both current and new volunteers to get to know about some of the various sectors we have in Singapore/CSC. As a regular volunteer at Bishan Home for the Intellectually Disabled (BHID), I felt that it was a good chance to let everyone know how the intellectually disabled are like and realise that they are just like any one of us. It is just that they have uncommon disabilities that people are not often exposed to.

2. Spreading volunteerism
We hope that CSC Day can be the engine that pushes new volunteers to realise that they too can do something within their abilities and to help current volunteers realise the true joy of volunteering by painting smiles on the beneficiaries' faces.

3. Promote bonding of the members of CSC
CSC Day is the time where volunteers under different arms of CSC come and have fun together. We are a club and it is good for us to know what is happening in CSC because this is where all like-minded people come together and share their experiences with one another.

With the successful conclusion of CSC Day IX, I would like to thank all volunteers and beneficiaries for making the event possible. We have achieved our three goals above and our participants went home with smiles on their faces :) I would also like to thank the people who gone an extra mile to lend us a helping hand throughout the journey, be it helping out during our prop-making, making appearances in our skit and helping out as our station masters.

Most importantly, my ever-efficient Organising Committee. I have never thought that I would come this far and made CSC Day IX Into reality together with my OC. I'm fortunate to meet many spontaneous and nice people who are willing to fight for our cause with me. Thank you all so much for all your efforts and sacrifising your December break, coming to school everyday for preparations. You guys proved me that nothing is impossible and I really enjoyed working with all of you. Thank you for the surprise during the debrief, I was really touched by this gesture. Let's not forget our APD Joshua, thank you for taking up your role and your support!

Looking back on my CSC adventure so far, I am glad that I joined Ethelontêr VIII and met very awesome councilors and fellow freshmen. We joined CSC Day VIII OC together last year, and I am back today to join CSC Day IX OC!

To my family, I know I've been spending too much time on CCA. Thank you for your love and understanding. I would cut down on my commitments and spend more time at home and help out in doing housework. To my friends, I'm sorry that I'm always MIA but your friend here is doing something good and I urge you to join me! :)

To all of you who matter, thank you! :)

Love,
Peiling
Sherlynn's reflections!
27 January 2013
Finally, the first ever Special project (CSC Day IX) that I have joined as an OC member has ended:) It was indeed tough working day in day out for 1month plus during hols just for this one special day of event. But I must say, this was definitely very worth it, and I never once regretted joining:) Although all the admin stuff that I was doing as sect-treas was quite boring, the process of joining prog cell to do all the props and discussing of the games was really fun! And it did help me to take a break from the admin work I was doing:) There may be times when I feel the props making process doesn’t give me the sense of actual volunteering (like joining YRS), but I was always reminded for the main objective of joining CSC Day, to be part of something where all the different beneficiaries can gather and have a fun-filled day, and to get to know more about the different beneficiaries.

Being a part of CSC Day IX OC, have definitely been great! I am really glad to get to know a bunch of people with same great passion for volunteering, with great driving force and focus to make CSC Day IX a successful one and one that everyone will remember and enjoy :D Thanks Peiling Siah and Joshua Goh for letting me to be part of this team:) and thanks to the whole OC, for this great and enjoyable journey:) Props making will never be this fun without all of you! Totally enjoyed all the props making plus HTHT sessions! Haha! Seeing our props slowly being completed, and being improvised on, was really satisfying:) Having to throw away the props that we spent time and sweat making at the end of the day, was definitely hard for all of us… But we must remember all the great memories will forever be with us:)

Seeing all the happy faces on the day itself and the fruits of our labour, gave me a great sense of happiness and satisfaction that all the efforts put in was really very worth it. And I am sure the rest of the OC also feels this way too, right?:)

Although I have sacrificed gatherings with friends and even dates, I am very happy that I am doing this for a really meaningful, and great cause :D & I am glad and blessed to have my loved ones so supportive in what I am doing, and my passion for CSC:)

-Sherlynn
Jeremy's reflections!
27 January 2013
"The Painting of the Century"

A banner painting of CSC Day IX that I am very proud of, depicting a lalang field (Kristabelle kept saying it looked like a banana field). Probably the best art work I have ever done in the 23 years of my life.

My reflection comes in 2 parts, firstly as a comm member and secondly as a volunteer on CSC Day.

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CSC Day IX. My second Special Project in CSC. Took on the position as Design (Sometimes also known as publicity) Head. Although I still have much to learn in being a cell head, this role is tailor made for me. Got the chance to do artwork and simple web design, both are things that I really loved to do.

I know the fact that most of the props would be thrown away after the event, despite all the time and effort. However, I took pride in designing and making them with the help of my fellow OC members because I really enjoy the process of doing such stuff. We have successfully transformed an empty looking Central Forum to a beautiful Kampung. Trial run 1 wasn't that ideal, trial run 2 was much better, and finally on the actual day, our big attap house and the overall setting was complete.

After hearing feedback from our participants that the event decorations were very nice, the props made an impact and weren't thrown away in vain. I still have that small bit of heartache though.

Thankful for an amazing OC. My supportive and cute PDs Peiling and Joshua who recruited me although I kinda messed up my interview, and giving me space to express myself in the role (and often ending up not updating them with progress). My assistant Su Ann who is enthusiastic in giving timely advice on our artwork, and pro in photoshop. The other members of the OC who gave me motivation to go on when I almost went crazy seeing cardboard and paint everyday, because I have no right to complain as everyone else were working harder.

***

Time flew past very quickly and it was finally 26/01/13.

Running on 2 hours of sleep, I started the day by going to collect sponsored goreng pisang (it was very good, coming from a non banana eater) at Longhouse with Louis. We've learnt a lot from the owner of the stall. She was really inspiring.

We came back and soon the event finally kicked off. Changed into my Chao Ah Beng outfit, gelled up the Chicken Little hair that appeared last year in Ethelonter 9 and rehearsed with Criss and Josh our lines for the skit. Thank goodness, that my voice was still intact at that point of time.

I probably won't win a Mediacorp contract with my acting, but it sure left an impression on the participants. The kids whacked me every time they saw me, the intellectually disabled told me they believed Ah Beng was a good guy, the elderly talked to me about gangsters in the past. Not to boast about my skills but more to highlight some of the significant interactions I had with the participants. And kudos to the programmes team who came up with the storyline
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I floated with group Satay for the duration of the programmes. Many familiar faces in the group and everywhere else. I did not really assist the participants while playing games but I enjoyed chatting with all of them during the waiting time. So glad that they were happy to be here in NUS with us and that they enjoyed our lineup of activities. I'll be seeing them again soon as I return to my RVP visits.

During the ending mass dance, a little girl from one of the groups crashed the stage. Had fun teaching her and dancing together.

Many happy faces as our participants left Central Forum. A Kampung to remember.
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Now that CSC Day IX has ended, it's time to take a quick break, and channel all my efforts into studies. Doesn't really feel like the new semester has started but let's go let's go let's go.
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CSC Day IX will be remembered in my heart. The sense of satisfaction is priceless. There are now new opportunities opening up to further define my volunteering experience in CSC, I know I have closed a lot of them up, but it's for me to decide. Who knows? ;)

-Jeremy​