Selling Flags Again- Flag Day LHE 2015

After doing so many flag days (once for LB in 2014, and once with Stormtroopers for LHE in 2014),  one would think that Ace is a seasoned LAO JIAO when it comes to selling flags to raise funds for charity:)

But he is mostly still very shy.

He told me the last time he did it with his dad.. he just stood there and put the tin out. I told him that works as well. HOwever, if he were to approach people and ask if they will like to donate, the chances of them donating his higher and encouraged him to try approaching people.

We walked along orchard road and decided to stand near this junction where there are two traffic lights. And decided this will be our fengshui spot:) haha..

Ace says must put the picture on the outside so that people can see.

There were alot of people walking but many are not interested to donate... so Ace was a little ill at ease and did not know what to do. I suggested that he just asked the if they will like to donate and showed him how to do it...

You will walk towards a person and ask them, "Donation for the Lions Home For The Elders?"

Ace saw that indeed the rate of donation is higher when you asked and he was convinced.. but he was still shy and lacked courage.

He was also anxiously waiting for his friend Lele to join him.

Lele and his parents were really innovative!

HIs mum brought along her Harry Potter memorabilia so that people can take picture and donate...

When Ace saw the quidditch broom.. he said he wanted to take picture:) hahahaha

Lele also came up with an idea.. where by if people donated more than $2, he will give them a free toy from his own stash of toys. Such a wonderful boy with such a big heart.

The two boys tried to hang around together but it was apparently not very effective as Ace was still shy and Lele, while he was not shy... and was happy to ask people if they want to donate, he does not really know how to approach people.

Poor Lele was so disappointed when many  did not want to donate and kept asking his mum why people did not want to donate... he kept asking me if I wanted to donate and I told him that I already donated:) hahahaha...

And then Ace said he will be Lele's first customer.. cos he wants a toy! duh!

After about half an hour of hanging around together, we decided that we will go seperate ways and me and Ace went back to our junction while Lele and family tried their luck across the road.

Anyway, during our time together, KP met this cute and handsome guy who smiled and just donated $10! Handsome and have good heart leh! KP says she wants to intro him to her single friends:) hahahahaha...

Anyway, me and Ace's plan was simple. When the traffic light had a green man... people will walk towards us... we call that THE WAVE.. after wave of zombies in Plants Vs Zombies game.. hahahaha... And then when this happens, Ace will walk towards them.

SOmehow, after about 2 hours of doing this.. he gathered enough courage to ask people if they wanted to donate.

Ace approaching THE WAVE...

And we just repeated this again and again..

Just to encourage him, whenever he completes one wave.. if there was no donor, I will high five him and tell him GOOD TRY... if there were  donors, we will high five and give ourselves a pat and say "GOOD JOB!"

In doing this, I hoped that Ace understands that sometimes, certain things are a numbers game. As long as you take action, results is sure to come.. have to look at the big picture and not the one or two small seeming failures.

Ace was not very good at keeping a lookout and seeing who wants to donate or not. Usually if hand inside bag or pocket and you walked up, chances of donation is very high one.. but he always not observant.

So hor, the people who donate to him usually is they really want to donate one cos they have to chase after him to donate! hhahaha...

We met a few interesting characters..

Like there was this aunty who said she used to do this as a student and even gave me her number so we could inform her of our next flag day:)

Then there was this tourist from America who saw us and asked me if $2 is ok... (he was afraid it was too small an amount..)

Another tourist from Philippines... he put hand in pocket.. but Ace did not walk up to him.. so he walked away.. about 10 min later, he came back.. asked if we took coins and donated all his coins to us... and told Ace to keep up the good work.

Also met this group of tourists from China who asked us what is this about and after explaination, donated generously...


Saw another group of ang moh kids and did not think they will donate.. as in my experience, families with children and old folks are more willing to donate. Youths usually just smile or treat us as transparent. They walked with their skateboards and went past Ace.. But they made a Uturn and asked Ace what is this... and then when we explained, they each took out a dollar to donate and told Ace..."You are doing great work man.."

Met a couple in their twenties who encouraged us and asked us to jia you... I think they must have sold flags before!:) hahahaha...

I guess some donated cos they can tell Ace was really sweating his guts out and really working hard. He kept saying that his legs were in pain but he never gave up. I told him we can rest 5 min every hour of work we do and he really rest and got started again. I was quite impressed with Ace actually:) haha...

After back-breaking four hours, it was time to rush to his tennis lessons...

I asked Ace how he felt about the whole thing.. he said he thought it was VERY BORING.. but it was worth it!:) hahaha...

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