REal volunteer stories
Putting things in perspective - a volunteer story to share: there are a lot of unrealistic expectations about how dearly needed your contribution is, or how fun it might be.
One place that's near Tokyo and
> that is still accepting volunteers is the Saitama Super
> Arena, which is easily accessible from Tokyo via either
> the Saikyo Line (Kita- Yono Station) or the
> Keihin-Tohoku Line (Saitama Shintoshin Station).
>
> The Arena has become the primary spot from some of
> those evacuated from their homes around the Fukushima
> nuclear power plant, particularly residents of the town
> of Futaba-machi. The news reports here indicate that
> there are about 1200 residents from the town there,
> though I was told by one of the local volunteers that
> there are hundreds from other towns as well; I didn't
> talk to any of the evacuees and haven't done enough
> research online to be sure.
>
> The place is, however, overflowing with volunteers, so
> I think one can go and make something of a difference,
> but for the time being, it doesn't seem that one's
> absence will be disastrous to the relief efforts
> either. I went up yesterday and signed in as a
> volunteer at about 8:45, which was shortly before they
> cut off the line (and posted a couple of volunteers
> right outside of Saitama Shintoshin Station with
> placards indicating that no more volunteers would be
> accepted for the day). Even so, after registering and
> getting my volunteer tag, I waited in a messy line with
> about 120 others to be tasked with specific jobs. The
> system is, understandably and properly, set up for easy
> management and for utility to the relief cause, not for
> the comfort of stragglers who show up to volunteer
> fairly late. The line moved slowly and a bit
> unpredictably, so volunteers would best be advised to
> show up early and to have warm clothes; the staging
> area is open-air, and yesterday there was quite a bit
> of cold wind blowing through the crowd. My wait was 3
> hours, and although I was at the tail end due to my
> tardy arrival, it seemed that a large number of people
> waited, uncomplainingly but clearly cold, for at least
> two hours.
>
> Tasks were often gender separated, but I couldn't say
> precisely how; most of the time, the Saitama
> prefectural staff were trying to shout their
> instructions in loud voices, but not loud enough to be
> heard beyond the front few rows of waiting volunteers,
> given the open-air acoustics. By the time I got up
> front, they asked for a group of about
> 15 men and boys to pick up cardboard boxes from Ito
> Yokado and bring them back to the arena, with further
> instructions given at that point.
>
> I was very glad at that point to get something to do.
> The previous group of men had been dispatched an hour
> earlier for garbage duty, and a few women remained
> behind us, waiting a bit longer for their tasks; I
> never found out what they were ultimately sent off to
> work on. When we got the boxes over, we separated ones
> that might be cut up and turned into meal trays for the
> evacuees from those that were useless, then cut/taped
> the good ones, lined them with newspaper, and set them
> out for use for dinner (I guess; our task was finished
> before dinnertime, at which point I left, since I
> didn't want to be another body getting in the way).
>
> There are apparently different tasks each day, and I
> ended up on danboru duty because that was simply what
> was left at that point; given the amount of cardboard
> and the number of meals that people will need, this
> particular job will get repeated a few more times, but
> I there will be lots of other jobs as well. And, again,
> if I hadn't been there, there would have been no
> shortage of people willing to pitch in.
>
> For the time being, things seem to be going well as
> might be hoped, but I'm worried about what will happen
> next. According to the news, starting in April,
> evacuees will be moved from the arena to the original
> building of the former Saitama Kenritsu Kisai High
> School. Given what we're hearing from Fukushima, my
> guess is that it will be a while before they can safely
> return to their homes. While some may find other
> lodging on their own, there will likely be needs at the
> high school for some time through April and perhaps
> beyond.
>
> I don't know what their needs will be like at that
> point. What is worrisome is partly that spring break
> will be over and many of the enthusiastic youngsters
> won't be as available to help (and I cannot overstate
> how impressed I was with the junior high school and
> high school students, who made up a substantial portion
> of the volunteers). Beyond that, it also seems *much*
> harder to get to the next evacuation facility after
> they're moved from the arena. According to the
> wikipedia page about the high school, to get there one
> has to take a bus either from Kounosu Station on the
> Takasaki line, or from Kazo Station on the Toubu
> Isesaki Line, and then walk 15 minutes from the Kisai
> 1-chome bus stop. I'm not sure if they'll set up a
> shuttle service or not. It may be that they're using
> this time to prepare the school well for the evacuees,
> and that there won't be many volunteers needed. But I
> imagine that they'll be in very short supply at that
> point, so anyone with free time after April 1st might
> want to contact the Saitama Prefectural Government to
> see about volunteering needs at that point; I'll try to
> post information when it's available.
>
> In the meantime, if you want to volunteer at the arena:
> arrive early, dress warmly, and have some
> rubber/cleaning gloves with you.
One place that's near Tokyo and
> that is still accepting volunteers is the Saitama Super
> Arena, which is easily accessible from Tokyo via either
> the Saikyo Line (Kita- Yono Station) or the
> Keihin-Tohoku Line (Saitama Shintoshin Station).
>
> The Arena has become the primary spot from some of
> those evacuated from their homes around the Fukushima
> nuclear power plant, particularly residents of the town
> of Futaba-machi. The news reports here indicate that
> there are about 1200 residents from the town there,
> though I was told by one of the local volunteers that
> there are hundreds from other towns as well; I didn't
> talk to any of the evacuees and haven't done enough
> research online to be sure.
>
> The place is, however, overflowing with volunteers, so
> I think one can go and make something of a difference,
> but for the time being, it doesn't seem that one's
> absence will be disastrous to the relief efforts
> either. I went up yesterday and signed in as a
> volunteer at about 8:45, which was shortly before they
> cut off the line (and posted a couple of volunteers
> right outside of Saitama Shintoshin Station with
> placards indicating that no more volunteers would be
> accepted for the day). Even so, after registering and
> getting my volunteer tag, I waited in a messy line with
> about 120 others to be tasked with specific jobs. The
> system is, understandably and properly, set up for easy
> management and for utility to the relief cause, not for
> the comfort of stragglers who show up to volunteer
> fairly late. The line moved slowly and a bit
> unpredictably, so volunteers would best be advised to
> show up early and to have warm clothes; the staging
> area is open-air, and yesterday there was quite a bit
> of cold wind blowing through the crowd. My wait was 3
> hours, and although I was at the tail end due to my
> tardy arrival, it seemed that a large number of people
> waited, uncomplainingly but clearly cold, for at least
> two hours.
>
> Tasks were often gender separated, but I couldn't say
> precisely how; most of the time, the Saitama
> prefectural staff were trying to shout their
> instructions in loud voices, but not loud enough to be
> heard beyond the front few rows of waiting volunteers,
> given the open-air acoustics. By the time I got up
> front, they asked for a group of about
> 15 men and boys to pick up cardboard boxes from Ito
> Yokado and bring them back to the arena, with further
> instructions given at that point.
>
> I was very glad at that point to get something to do.
> The previous group of men had been dispatched an hour
> earlier for garbage duty, and a few women remained
> behind us, waiting a bit longer for their tasks; I
> never found out what they were ultimately sent off to
> work on. When we got the boxes over, we separated ones
> that might be cut up and turned into meal trays for the
> evacuees from those that were useless, then cut/taped
> the good ones, lined them with newspaper, and set them
> out for use for dinner (I guess; our task was finished
> before dinnertime, at which point I left, since I
> didn't want to be another body getting in the way).
>
> There are apparently different tasks each day, and I
> ended up on danboru duty because that was simply what
> was left at that point; given the amount of cardboard
> and the number of meals that people will need, this
> particular job will get repeated a few more times, but
> I there will be lots of other jobs as well. And, again,
> if I hadn't been there, there would have been no
> shortage of people willing to pitch in.
>
> For the time being, things seem to be going well as
> might be hoped, but I'm worried about what will happen
> next. According to the news, starting in April,
> evacuees will be moved from the arena to the original
> building of the former Saitama Kenritsu Kisai High
> School. Given what we're hearing from Fukushima, my
> guess is that it will be a while before they can safely
> return to their homes. While some may find other
> lodging on their own, there will likely be needs at the
> high school for some time through April and perhaps
> beyond.
>
> I don't know what their needs will be like at that
> point. What is worrisome is partly that spring break
> will be over and many of the enthusiastic youngsters
> won't be as available to help (and I cannot overstate
> how impressed I was with the junior high school and
> high school students, who made up a substantial portion
> of the volunteers). Beyond that, it also seems *much*
> harder to get to the next evacuation facility after
> they're moved from the arena. According to the
> wikipedia page about the high school, to get there one
> has to take a bus either from Kounosu Station on the
> Takasaki line, or from Kazo Station on the Toubu
> Isesaki Line, and then walk 15 minutes from the Kisai
> 1-chome bus stop. I'm not sure if they'll set up a
> shuttle service or not. It may be that they're using
> this time to prepare the school well for the evacuees,
> and that there won't be many volunteers needed. But I
> imagine that they'll be in very short supply at that
> point, so anyone with free time after April 1st might
> want to contact the Saitama Prefectural Government to
> see about volunteering needs at that point; I'll try to
> post information when it's available.
>
> In the meantime, if you want to volunteer at the arena:
> arrive early, dress warmly, and have some
> rubber/cleaning gloves with you.
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