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Post by Slazh on Dec 12, 2009 8:21:51 GMT -5
To Jingle and everyone,
Finally, the the first project of BLM -- 1st Christmas 2009 Gift-Giving Project -- ended succesfully today and 500 students from 3 schools were direct recipients of the gifts and many other children who joined the parlor games received their christmas shares and have so much fun too, that even a small Ipo-Ipo joined, blew and visited the affair but the children were not bothered at all and they all held the ropes and rebuild the tents. Perhaps, the Ipo-Ipo was disturbed what the noise is all about, well, the kids rocked Lepanto today to drive away all those bad spirits that may have been living there.
I would like to thank everyone for this affair. Had it not been to the positive, aggressive, hardwork, full support and assistance of all the officers, incorporators, members, committees and residents of Lepanto, this would not have been a success.
We have more projects ahead of us, I hope more members will show their support this time.
Once again, congratulations for a job well done and for the successful Christmas program.
God bless us all.
SLAZH
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Post by Jong on Dec 12, 2009 19:03:11 GMT -5
Good morning everyone! I just woke up. Yesterday was indeed a very tiring day, but it was worth it! Walang makakapantay sa saya ng mga bata kahapon From the smallest kid to the tallest, they were all eager to participate. And nothing can compare with the happiness in their faces when they opened their bags. I overheard a kid saying, "Nagado ya inted da, adda t-shirt adda pay ya medyas na." We ended at about 5:10 p.m. for it was getting dark already but they wanted more. Many thanks to all the batang lepanto worldwide. Engr. Rustico Rasalan, who was the guest speaker, was very impressed with how much love batang lepanto are showing to the community and the company. We the officers were just the facilitators, we actually owe the success of the activity to the big hearts of all the donors. Danica, a sophomore and one of the recipients, delivered a very heart warming acceptance speech. It encompasses everything we want to tell you. "THANK YOU LEPANTO HEROES!" (From Danica's acceptance speech) Jong* PS Slazh I know you're very eager to have a full story of the activity. We'll try our best to share it with everyone soonest. I can just summarize it with a few words... It was FUN FUN FUN!
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Post by Marianne Menecio on Dec 12, 2009 22:45:52 GMT -5
There are a lot of “heroes” we have to thank for the success of the pilot project of the BLM. I know, Slazh, our founder, and everyone else have been thanking them but let me direct you to another scene.
We just arrived home from Lepanto, the four hour exhausting trip after the BLM Gift giving activity. It was a very tiring day but I needed to recount some of the “behind – the – scenes” of the activity that I am sure will be left unnoticed if I wont be able to tell the story after this moment passes. I just had to share…
The night before the activity, the working committee met at the packing/storage area (at CPJ center) of the gifts to discuss and iron things out before the big day. What I noticed in each of the member was that, they were showing signs of stress (probably from fatigue and the intrigues they have been encountering). Later did I realize what everyone had to go through to make the event successful. Let me guide you through the details…
During the planning, the working committee had to meet during night time or late hours as almost all of the members were either working or had businesses to attend to. While they were having the meeting, phones would be ringing and you would hear conversations of a member telling the other person on the line, “ chineck mo ba ang assignment?” or another saying, “Baby, you need to sleep with ate, I will be home soon.” But of course, her “soon” would be 4 or 5 hours more. At one time, one conversation was even, “ painumin mo na ng gamot, mainit ba talaga sya?”. Still, the meeting pushed through.
With all the initial “incidents”, the project proceeded to phase 2. The purchasing committee had to keep calling each other on the phone to confirm orders, trace and monitor the stocks. The purchasing committee from Manila had to wrestle through the crowds in Divisoria to get the stocks (Goodness knows that Divisoria at this time of the year is not even passable by ants with the influx of the crowd) and send it to the committee in Baguio. The Baguio committee had to wait for hours in the terminal, haul the stocks and literally chase after taxis (because the stocks fit in 4 cabs and they were only 3 members! Actually, 2 members only. They had to beg another friend to accompany them.) and ship these materials to Lepanto.
Then the packing commenced. Each one was assigned the laborious work of sorting the sizes of the shirts and socks, pencil and the correct paper (We all know that Grade 1 pad paper is different from grade 2 and 3 or Grade 4) to place in the bags. They even forgot to emphasize that they had to place 2 apples in the bag, so they had to go back to each bag to add another apple! The packing lasted for 12 hours, from 9 am to 9pm. Add to these, most of the members were moms. So again, the calls…
While the packing committee was busy, the teachers were also having trouble explaining to the students and pupils why not all of them will be receiving the gifts. The question often asked: “ apay ngay syak, awan gift na?”.It was heartbreaking to see the reactions of the kids and to try to ease that disappointment in their faces. There was even one instance when a child saw the list of the recipients and asked her mom, “anya ba ti indigent, mama?” So the Mom had to explain and correct the title on the list of the recipients (because it could be a little insulting to the recipient to be labeled as such). Still, they were not spared of the heartbreak they saw in the kid’s disappointed faces.
And the big day arrived! The working committee were up and about before sunrise. They met at the CPJ and rechecked the gift bags. Others were up on the roof of Lepanto National High School setting up the tent and still others were decorating the stage. Another group was busy assembling the food bags. The stress I noticed in each of the working committee was still there, but they were on an adrenaline high. Nobody was giving orders yet each one knew what had to be done. One thing that was common in each of them? They were determined to make the event successful, regardless of anything…
Hours before the event, pupils and students started to flock in the quadrangle. The school started to have a certain buzz reflecting the excitement of the kids. The activity started at 1 o’ clock in the afternoon with games while registration was on going. BLM Fun Day started with games, the program, messages and the distribution of the gifts. There was even a very strong wind that whipped the tent so they had to set it up again. Of course, that did not dampen anybody’s spirit during the event. It even rained! Still the activity continued.
I looked around and tried to see the stress in the eyes of the working committee which I noticed earlier, it was gone. What I saw in their eyes? It was pure joy…love…it was the feeling that comes from doing things straight from the heart…it is like…the appearance of the rainbow after the rain…
I look up to you guys…cheers!
Let me end this with the words of Danica, one of the recipients of the BLM activity. “ To all those who made the BLM activity possible, you are a miracle, you are Lepanto’s heroes…” NOTE:
I have not identified the names of the working committee as I might miss one of them. I leave that to the Secretary of BLM to post the names of the hardworking committee.
Marianne, proud to be BLM…
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Post by merlyn on Dec 13, 2009 4:46:46 GMT -5
hi there everyone, It's raining cats and dogs here in Lepanto and I could not help but say thank God we were done with the BLM Fan Day yesterday or else the rain would have affected the conduct of the activity. But let me assure you though that no rain could have dampened the happiness each child felt yesterday. Smiles could drown Noah's Ark !!!Our students kept asking, "Ma'am apay adda manen ti sumaruno?" Have just checked with my son if the school grounds are already clean because if it isn't yet ,have to go out and find people to clean whatever was not cleaned yesterday evening but he says its already ready for Monday. LNHS students were indeed a big help, if it were not for them BLM would still be cleaning the mess. The activity was a big success and it was an exhausting day but what makes it different from all other tiring days was that everybody who worked felt wonderfully satisfied and blessed to have been a part of the group who worked to make the children happy. The whole group labored and I would say the younger ones (BLM) are indefatigable , their enthusiasm was really contagious and I would like to thank them for including us in this venture . Matago-tago tako am-in!
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