A Very Special Walk
A Very Special Walk (AVSW) Reflections
On 30 July 2016, 01 Scouts went down to Enabling Village to help out in
A Very Special Walk , an annual event organised by Autism Resource Centre (Singapore). Started in 2005, it aims to integrate people of all ages with autism into mainstream society by raising funds. At the event, there were many booths with different activities, like game stalls, food, drinks, merchandise sales and even performances.
I was posted to a stall selling various merchandise like mugs, paintings, lamps and many other things with a few of my friends. All the merchandise displayed drawings of Jun-Yi, a person with autism but was talented at drawing. Throughout the day, the stall owners told us many stories about what the Autism Resource Centre does and the impact it has on autistic people. I really learned a lot about autism from these stories. Before I left, I also bought one of the items, and I still use it frequently now. Although it was slightly expensive, I believe that my money was well spent as it went to helping people with autism.
I found AVSW to be a very meaningful and enriching experience for me, as I got to help other people in the society with were less privileged than me. I also interacted with the public a lot, which is something I do not usually do. The event has also changed my view on autism, as I realised that autism is a real condition that people suffer from, and we should treat it seriously, instead of joking about it in school. In conclusion, AVSW was a very enriching and memorable activity for me and I would definitely volunteer to help out again if given the opportunity.