Bidding godbye from volunteering work

Hi all, after some weeks of problems, my life have come to peace again.

I would like to take this chance to thank all who have helped me when I needed them the most, most thankfully, was that Vic was there to help me most of the time. I am really grateful to all the help that was given to me to solve the problems with the contract for PROJECT V.

Anyway, forget what I posted in my last blog post. I did have hatred at that moment when I was frustrated about what had happened, but now, after explanations from Vic, I am more of settled already and accepted the facts.

Here, I would like to take this chance to bid goodbye to volunteering work. I thought I could have celebrated my 10th year in volunteering work on a high note, however, Lord does not seem wanting to celebrate my 10th year in that way.

I have thought of it for a long time that I came to this decision, that to bid goodbye to my passion, volunteering work once and for all. I guessed some of them did realized that I never return to YMCA after the last Y Camp. Part of the reasons was that I have found a job, now on training at a waffle shop in Golden Mile Food Complex, as for the other reasons, I guessed I do not really want to mention it.

Come to think back for the time before I bid goodbye to volunteering work, I actually did a lot of stuffs. I had not only gone for my 7th Y Camp which I felt really happy about, I had went for my 1st 30 Hour Famine Camp where I became a facilitator. I also appeared on the Straits Times for the 1st time ever since I did volunteering work for so long.

Eventually all good times will come to an end, but I never thought it ended this early. I have thought of really to stay on even though I may have a chance to get into Y Camp Committee or to be train as a Camp Commander, but sad to realize that this is not really mine.

I have thought of ending at my 10th Y Camp Challenge next year, but I began to realize that this dream is becoming too far distant. I guessed my time is really up already and my dream of doing the high elements for one last time may have to end.

I always remembered how much time I have spent to plan just to make sure that the outings or activities will go out well. In the end, I would not failed the volunteers and the buddies who participated. Its really an achievement to see at the end of each outings or activities, the volunteers and buddies left with a smile.

Over the last 10 years, I guessed I really made a lot of people hated me. Ha ha... Seriously, I do not blame anyone as it have to do with my own style of leadership. My way of working and making decision is based on intuition and feelings, so if I felt that the plan is to go that way, I would not hesitate to use any methods to achieve it.

Looking at the above mentioned, I guessed there's two sides of the coin. One side is that this action is a good way of handling things because as a leader, I believe that you will have to be decisive. However, looking at the bad side of the coin, I believed many people does not like my way of deciding as it normally in which they felt that its wrong to go that way.

Actually, to be frank, its just a difference in opinions, so that's why when two people could not agree on a certain point, arguments happen because they do have that belief that what they think could be right, so why not try my way?

Coming to this, I am someone who believes that if the plan, outings or activities are not good, I will say it out. Sadly to say, I offended a lot of people because that I am too frank. For that,  I want to take this chance to apologize to all whom had felt offended by me.

I seriously do not criticize people but the incident or the program, for that I want to assure to all. I know you all put in a lot of effort on planning, however, when a plan or program from a 3rd party's point of view is not good, that means its not good but not to the extend of bad, just that there's a lot of improvements that can be made.

For me who do planning for programs, I always believed that the qualities of the programs needs to be the best, that's why sometimes I am very stubborn when people insists of me changing my plan. I felt that if I do not believed my own plan could work, then who else could have affirm you?

Speaking of so much, actually, coming to lately, I am also doing something which is to help volunteer leaders to grow. For those who have worked with me lately will tend to realize that I often will posed questions for them to ponder about when they are helping me in the outings. Also, I would let them be more active in deciding what's right for the plan to work as in to be hands on to decide on the logistic needed, the plan made and so on. For me, its more of overseeing than be directly hands on lately.

To say the truth, if people say that my leadership is bad now, I would like to affirm them that there's been some slight improvements already. I started becoming a volunteer leader in 2001 without any guidance and then, my leadership was way worst than what I am now.

In my mind, I do have 3 leaders whom I felt that they are the best among all the leaders in YMCA. They are Alan, Wei Guang and Yiwei. No doubt, I have to admit, they are really the most 'zai' leader that YMCA ever have.

Finally, I would like to give thanks to the below people / team whom I worked with over for the last 7 years as a leader...

- 2001 to 2004: My school mates from Community Service Club. How can I forgot those times when we have arguments over so many stuffs? How at that time I aimed to help the club to become one of the best in school? How in one year, we all rushed out so many projects ongoing till the day I left? All these can never be done without all of your help, even at times when you all had to bear with me for all the unpleasant moments, you all were still there for me. Thanks a lot.

- 2005 to 2006: My BODs from Interact Club. That year is really the year that is called the golden period of the club. Never in the club had managed to build on so many programmes to continue. Though not all are the best, but it still managed to go on. Long meetings with me were dreaded and tough, right? Disagreements were every where, but I am really touched that you all still stayed till the end. Though our last installation was not well done in the end, but the efforts put in were appreciated. Thanks.

- 2008 to now: YMCA peeps from Y Reading Club @ SCAS. Those who have helped me with the September 2008, October 2008 and January 2009's APSN Outing. I am very grateful for all of your help and for giving me your best supports though you all are busy.
Though PROJECT V (YFC) never really ended in the way I wanted, but I have to still give thanks for helping me till the day you left. Really appreciated.

My time is here to end. However, I have really one wish that I could never make it happened and that is to help those volunteer leaders whom I felt that they are capable of planning and leading to plan for YMCA. Some of them are like Daniel Ouyang, Ze Ming, Sok Wai, Serene and many more. I do have a lot of leaders whom I may not have asked to help me in the plannings still in my phonebook, but in my mind, they are the best leaders that I truly have worked with before.

Just that now, I do not have any more chance to chio them to plan with me in YMCA already.

Finally, I have to thank Eileen and Vic. You both have always been guiding me, and seriously, if you both does not want to guide me, I may even have made more mistakes than I could. Deep in my heart, I really appreciate for what you both have done for me.

There's a lot of people I wanted to thank, but to post their names in this blog entry may not seem that nice.  In any case, I would like to take this chance to say a big THANK YOU to all of you once again for all the help that you all have given to me.

P.S. : For those who have saw this blog entry, if you ever came to Golden Mile Food Complex, do come to my waffle stall, as I'm currently on training there. I will bake waffle for you and if I do have the money, I will treat you.