The alarm rings. And like any other day I curse it for doing its job so perfectly, without taking a day off! I look out the window and the world outside was already ahead of me in getting started for the day. It was a Sunday, a day to take a break and be filled with family, food and fun. That is when I remembered. The day was definitely going to be filled the 3 F`s! And I silently thanked the alarm for doing its job so well!
Why was it going to be one good day? Because it was going to be filled with all things good. And chocolate. And loads of sweet and sugar. It would be a treat to the eyes and palate to be immersed fully in all of the above. But then by the end of the day I realized that yet another feature would be the highlight of the day. An aspect that would make the day more meaningful, life more worthwhile. A small awakening to spread and share with others.
What was it that made the day different?
It was the day for a Bake Sale! A Bake sale organized by a youth volunteer organization called Make a Difference a.k.a. MAD, at City Center, Mangalore.
What is MAD?
Make A Difference is a non-profit that works with children living in shelter homes and orphanages across 23 cities in India, empowering them in English and the necessary life- skills. Their vision is that one day even the children at risk will be able to learn and pursue their dreams. Currently MAD runs an English Teaching, Library, Career Awareness and Personality Development Program.
Bake Sale, 28th July, 2013
{as said by MAD volunteers}
The idea behind the event was to raise funds for MAD organisation, to gain more publicity and make people aware of the organisation and to get registrations from volunteers for the recruitment drive. This was the first fund raising event for this term.
The event was held in Mangalore at City Centre from 11 in the morning till late evening. The goodies – from variety of cupcakes to red velvet cakes, brownies, oreo fudge brownies, chocolate pops, M & M cookies, carrot and walnut cake and some savory dishes like sandwiches, calzones, tarts were prepared by Mariam Mohiudeen, runner up of Dubai Masterchef. There were 12 varieties for sale at the stalls
Two stalls were set up on the ground floor of City Center Mall. MAD PR head for Mangalore, Anjali Rao said – ‘ The colorful pastries and dainty cupcakes attracted many kids. The cupcakes and red velvet cakes as well as chocolate pops were sold out by afternoon! ‘
Those interested to be part of MAD could even register their names at the stalls. The proceeds of the sale went towards Make a Difference (MAD).
Anjali Rao further said that at the end of the day there were tears of happiness among the volunteers. She felt pride and joy towards the team who she felt were more like family than co-volunteers. And she concludes saying – WE ARE HERE TO SPREAD SOME MAD MAD LOVE.
The volunteers at work at the stalls
I, as a customer at the Bake Sale
There I was at eleven in the morning to feast my eyes on the baked goodies. Customers, attracted by the neatly laid out stalls had already started pouring in. Kids dragged their parents to buy the yummilicious and dainty cupcakes and chocolate pops. Even with the rush of customers, the volunteers attended to them with a smile. All orders were neatly wrapped in boxes for takeaways.
And then there I was again at the end of the day, most of the items were sold out, testimony to how good they tasted! The volunteers were still at the stalls with the same smile, politeness and energy as at the start of the event. I got myself a few of the goodies. They were no doubt delicious and divine. And it felt good to be small contributor of the fund raising event. What started out as eagerness to relish the pastries and have fun with family got another aspect added to it. A feel good factor for having done something, for being a contributor, even if a very small one, for a good cause. Seeing photographs of children in orphanages, in need of all help they can get to master life skills and make their dreams come, seeing the commitment and drive among the volunteers to make the fund raising event successful – all these captured my attention and my thoughts went towards what more can I or we do to be a support for this non-profit organisation.
More about MAD
MAD was started in Cochin to give quality education to children at risk in shelter homes. It is the winner of the Ashoka Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition 2008, and was nominated as the best Medium Category NGO in the Indiya Shines initiative organized by GreatNonProfits.com in 2009. MAD is also a Noble Laureate of the Karamveer Puraskar awarded by ICongo, global fellow of YouthActionNet, Cordes Fellow 2010, Dasra Peer Capital Winner and was awarded the World Summit Youth Award last November. They are also awarded the Best Organization in volunteer engagement award by iVolunteer.
Make a Difference on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/makeadiff
Note : This is NOT a paid review.