Last week our class had an opportunity to take part in a charity, specifically "Peříčkový týden" organized by Social Society Development Foundation which cooperates with the Czech Television. This charity is also know and Chicken - help children. We spend Thursday, 25th April in sunny Pilsen streets. The weather was great so we were happy not to spend the time at school and the feeling that we do something for charity was even better.
We met before 8 AM in the class, repeated some rules, signed some papers and mainly got on yellow T-shirt with a chicken logo, we got the brooches with feather which were sold for 50 Crowns. We also were given small money boxes which we guarded more than anything else. We were divided into groups of two or three (all together 11 groups) and we were given 100 feathers and we were sent into streets.
My story will follow three chickens: Natalka, Stepan and me. We had 200 feathers, two money boxes and three hearts willing to help. Our group was operating in Bory, Slovany and in Sady. We walked together only on different sides of pavement. First we could see people who did not trust us, what's more they were not willing to help. Sometimes even a stamp and signature wasn't enough. However, we didn't give up. We called my mum, we brought it to her job where people were willing to help. Sometimes we met nice, sometimes we met rude people. They even used swear words on us. Not picturing everything badly, I must confirm, that there was more good experience than bad one. Not only some people donate, some even "chased" us to donate. For example a driver of a tram at the main post office. She locked her cabin, jumped out of the carriage and bought two feathers which she during commuters entering fixed on her jacket. Isn't it one of those reasons when you try even harder?
From my personal experience, I must say that the biggest groups of donators were women and elderly people. Those we didn't expect it from? Those we believed would be the most generous, disappointed us a lot. As I am saying, it was very hard physically and psychically. Eventually, we managed to sell 189 feathers and thanks to generosity of the people we collected more money than was the price of the feathers. All groups did.
At around 3 PM we returned the money box to our teacher and we immediately talked about our experiences. With a pleasure I can say that we were able to collect 58.000 Crowns, not counting bonuses. I believe it is not little and I think we can be proud of ourselves. I believe that tired "smile" muscles and our calves were definitely worth it and the money goes to children who really need it.
For me, this event represented completely new experience, new communication and new work with people. I could see good and bad sides of our society, I realized the power of prejudice and I supported a good thing. When I am thinking about it, I didn't help the Chicken foundation as the foundation helped me.
As American philosopher and transcendentalist Ralph Waldo Emerson said: "It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself."
Eliška Rybová, 3. B (free translation)
