Bowling Over for a Good Cause
By Albert Chang
Disabled people often feel insecure about taking part in physical activities… but BEAN helps build confidence with a day out at the bowling alley!
People often ask me what BEAN is. BEAN is a nonprofit organisation made up largely of young professionals who want to do more to help the community, rather than just spend their time watching DVDs and partying at clubs. Members in Shanghai often express a strong desire to give back to a city that has given them so much. As a result, BEAN holds volunteer events every weekend that focus around five charitable groups: migrant schools, orphanages, disabled adults, elder care homes and an animal shelter.
For the past two years, I have served as BEAN’s Project Director for the Sunshine Disabled Home in Jing’an District. The Sunshine Home is a city-run facility where disabled adults in the immediate neighbourhood can receive education and recreation services while their families or carers are away during the day. Every month BEAN visits the Sunshine facility to hold activities that improve the motor and social skills of our disabled friends, or ‘Sunshiners’. Previous events have included: learning to wrap dumplings, making tie-dyed shirts, an outdoor picnic at Century Park, making Christmas ornaments, tug of war contests, and a visit to the Shanghai World Expo in 2010.
Bowling is a relatively new activity to BEAN, but one that has proven extremely popular. Going back to last June, in lieu of a rained out picnic, we decided to take the Sunshiners bowling for the first time and it was an event that the Sunshiners continued to rave about for the rest of the year. For many of the disabled adults ranging from those in their 20s to well into their 50s, this was the first time they had experienced bowling, largely because of their lacking confidence, or simply not having access to the facilities. BEAN was offering something out of norm that could not be found in many of our disabled friends’ immediate neighbourhoods, which often becomes the ‘centre of their world’.
As a result, in late February, BEAN planned another bowling excursion to the Pine City Hotel bowling alley in Xuhui, with the Sunshine Disabled Home. The Sunshiners promptly arrived at 1.45pm and after a short event overview, we were under way.
Bowling is a fantastic and exciting way to meet the criteria that we set for each BEAN event with the Sunshine Home: to inspire, make our disabled friends believe in themselves and most importantly, realise their potential. Holding the ball, aiming where you want the ball to go and then finally releasing the ball requires a certain amount of hand-eye coordination, skills that with a series of aids such as the bowling bumpers, make the possibilities real for the disabled. Our volunteers provided encouragement and advice in building the Sunshiners confidence throughout the day, and the effects were noticeable with smiling faces all round, and several high fives.
“Overall it was a great experience and a well-run event. I love spending time with the Sunshiners ,” expressed Amanda Ou, a long-time BEAN volunteer. “We have been hanging out with them for three years now and it feels like spending time with old friends. Seeing how happy they are inspires everyone at BEAN to continue our efforts in improving this community.”
After nearly 90 minutes of bowling frenzy, both the Sunshiners and BEAN volunteers were wiped out. There were a few more strikes compared to last year, but most importantly everyone had fun.
“We are so thankful and appreciative to the BEAN members,” said one of the young adult participants, who asked for their name not to be disclosed. “We look forward to spending time with BEAN as we know that with each event we will continue having fun and learning moreabout what we can achieve at the same time.”
BEAN holds events once every two months with the Sunshine Disabled Home. For more information about how to get involved in BEAN Shanghai volunteer events, visit shanghai.beanonline.org or email [email protected].
Photos courtesy of Rebecca Siegel
