Sunday, August 9, 2009

Telethon Lemon

While on Pons Rd on Sunday looking for a decent flat white I saw 4 tweenage girls singing three little birds outside a shop. They were raising money for telethon. They were full of life, laughing at the odd wrong word being sung, clicking fingers, singing their hearts out. Miss Podgorani was immediately attracted to the tweenage antics and immediately dug into a pink zipped purse to give her hard earned to the Supremes. The Supremes even had the official lanyards, to say they were fundraising for telethon. I'm picking they had been practicing all week, had talked it through at school and were really looking forward to ticking all the boxes of helping NZers in need. This is heart warming stuff.
I have a friend who is a Principal who has received the All Blacks raincoats, when I saw them in his office I couldn't help but think how much these are a bloody waste of money. It pisses me off that these bullshit charities actually get people like the All Blacks on board. The All Blacks could really make a difference for some of the very very needy charities, but they are sucked into their corporate crap.
They have milked 2 million dollars for RAINCOATS probably stitched together by chinas child labour force.
How would these Ponsonby Intermediate girls be feeling when they grow up to discover this sham. Perhaps as teachers we have a part to play. But why should we be those Kiwi knockers. Why should we rubbish the charity NZers have shown.
Michael Laws has started the attack and TVNZ will be all over this like a rash and we will have a week of telethon bashing, a bit like the Dean Lonergans fight for life stuff.

You have to read Michael Laws article, see link above.

Maybe the Supremes from Ponsonby Intermediate could take their songs to the street and hand the cash over at the food bank. Its not so glamourous, and the CEO of Kids Can might not get their big six figure salary, but at least the money would go directly to those who need it.


3 comments:

Pete Hall said...

I try hard not to be cynical about this stuff.. but I'm glad Michael Laws is doing a great job of it for me.
Something bugs me about the TV carry on... it's like we GET too much BACK.. like the marketing is for US to make sure we remember we gave and get to feel better for it.
How many opportunities do we each have to help someone on our own city block? Why don't we do that?
I think we're afraid. It's a bigger risk to knock on a door.. start a conversation. Maybe this is a real power that schools have. Maybe they can help make the bridge a little shorter... That's another post for another day though eh.

Allanah K said...

I agree- it seems a waste of collective charity giving to spend what little funds actually get to the right people to spend it on raincoats. The Salvation Army getting their hands dirty with the lost people seems to me to be a better outlet for 'feel good' giving.

Kids get a raincoat that they don't need when it isn't raining. They'd be better off with parents who weren't wasting their money on rubbish.

I have taught in low decile schools and raincoats were the least of their worries.

We'll see what develops.

Fletchspeak said...

Yea - Telethon has had it's day- its about corporate hype and the ego of the TV presenters - bullshit really.
However the underlying concern is how do we provide for the needy in these times of $$$ tightness. We are feeling it at our place - our budget forecast for next year ain't great because the fund-raising this year is not measuring up. Now will the MOE come to the party - not likely unless you want to be a real boffin and go into major deficit. Charity begins at home - let's keep it there until the politicians can get their shit together. Why make their job easy???
On a positive note - love the new sports initiative by JK & his followers - if we can get $$$ to employ a sports person and meet the real needs of our kids - what a winner. All maybe not gloom & doom?