Sweet memories: Young volunteers on the lessons they learnt from baking cookies and setting a national record

Most children would get their parents to choose a co-curricular activity (CCA) with them, and it was no different for Greendale Primary School student, Alicia Tan.

Except her parents told her to pick Girls' Brigade, a CCA that she was not interested in. Although she had her reservations, an after-school excursion with them changed the 12 year-old's perception of the club.

"We visited the old folks home and when I saw their happy faces, it made me happy," she said.

Sweet tokens of friendship

Despite having zero background in baking or cooking, Tan and 120 young girls from Girls' Brigade Singapore (GBS) volunteered for the opportunity to bake cookies for a noble cause at this year's launch of the Friend in Deed project.

Partaking in the community bake event, the girls were joined by some 250 vulnerable Singaporeans and entered the Singapore Book of Records for the largest number of people baking cookies at the same time.

The cookies were then distributed to 500 beneficiaries of the GBS Friend in Deed project.

GBS President Sharon Liat said that this community bake session was just a part of Friend in Deed's major goal to fulfil the wishes of 3,000 Singaporeans during the June school holidays.

"This is also our chance to ask fellow Singaporeans to join our Girls and volunteers to help meet those needs," she added.

Speaking at the event on May 9, First Lady Jane Ittogi highlighted the importance of such events, pointing out that they build relationships in the community.

"When you give, you do so because of a relationship that comes out of your listening to them. You're not just someone making a handout. It is from such a relationship of respect that we can each become a friend in our deeds, to a friend in need," she said.

Not a piece of cake

Describing the activity as tough but interesting, North View Primary School student Alicia Teo shared that in the weeks leading up to the event, they had to learn how to bake cookies at Kampong Siglap Lifeskills Training and Retreat Centre.

She also shared that it was not her first time serving the community with the Girls' Brigade; she joined such activities because helping others made her happy as well.

However, for many of the girls, it was their first-time volunteering on such a massive project. They also shared that being paired with intergenerational beneficiaries taught them several valuable lessons. 

Ng Si Han from North View Primary School expressed how the activity made her more mindful. "We must be patient with them, even though there were times when I got impatient because the beneficiaries started to do things themselves."

Varshini, a Serangoon Garden Secondary School student said the sessions taught her patience. She recounted how her table had a mix of younger beneficiaries who were very playful.

"But I got to know them, and they shared many things with me, which made us work well together."

Westwood Primary School student, Swathi, also shared how she initially felt awkward interacting with the beneficiaries. The ice was broken when they saw her struggling with the cookie batter, and swooped in to help her whip it up. 

As for Alicia Tan, the numerous opportunities to give back taught her something invaluable.

"It encouraged me to improve how I communicate with others, so that I can entertain and make them feel comfortable with me."

kimberly.foo@asiaone.com

No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.