Children instead of flowers official. Charity event "Children instead of flowers"

In Russia, the action "Children instead of flowers" is gaining popularity, in which parents of schoolchildren, instead of buying bouquets on September 1, can donate money to help sick children. Instead of the traditional approach, when on Knowledge Day each student brings flowers to school, one bouquet is presented to teachers from the whole class, and the rest of the money is transferred to children's hospices.

This flash mob was created in 2014 by Asya Shtein, a teacher at a Moscow school. He was supported by many charitable foundations, as well as ordinary people across the country.

In 2015, teachers, parents and students from 200 schools and 500 classes joined the campaign. With the money raised (more than 8 million rubles), 220 children with incurable diseases were helped. In 2016, more than 600 schools and 1,800 classes participated in the movement, more than 18 million rubles were collected, and 394 families across the country received assistance.

RT asked Russian public figures, teachers and florists how they feel about this initiative and assess its prospects.

RIA News
Maxim Bogodvid

Laureate of the "Teacher of the Year - 2016" competition in Moscow, teacher of the international gymnasium in Novye Veshki Vladislav Popov spoke in support of the "Children Instead of Flowers" campaign. He agreed that flowers are a symbol of September 1, but suggested looking for a compromise.

“It seems to me that this is an eternal struggle between rationalism and established traditions. Flowers are a symbol of September 1, but parents can find some kind of compromise. It seems to me that one bouquet from the class will be enough. And it will be quite human to participate in this action. My school takes part in it,” said Popov.

Two-time world figure skating champion Irina Slutskaya called the action a double-edged sword, because, according to her, it is impossible to talk about the unequivocal participation of each person in it.

“In our gymnasium, where children study, this is not practiced, but you know, if there was such an action, I would take part in it. I think that every sane person, if they are sure that this money will really go to the needs of children, would support this action, ”said Slutskaya.

“If you want your child to go to school with flowers, it seems to me that now it is not so expensive, because there are flowers for every taste and color. Everyone chooses for himself, ”she added.

Slutskaya noted that she intends to invite the director of the gymnasium to take part in the action in 2018.

RIA News
Alexander Kryazhev

In turn, TV presenter Elena Ischeeva opposed this flash mob, since participation in it, from her point of view, only imposes an additional financial burden on parents.

“I can’t imagine a child, especially a second grader, going to school without flowers. Therefore, I will have to buy flowers and give money in an envelope so that the child stands with this flag (share symbol. - RT). There is a good comment from one woman. She has several children, and she also said: just imagine, now I need to multiply all this, because I buy flowers, because there is a tradition, and I donate money, ”Ishcheeva said.

“She expressed a very good idea: is it possible that this charity is somehow separate from September 1? Still, September 1 is a teacher and his students. This is their holiday, ”said the TV presenter.

“And charity... We are ready! But can't it be moved somewhere else? Do not drink a cup of cappuccino, but give the money to charity!” Ischeeva added.

Meanwhile, the florist and owner of the Royal Greenhouses company, Irina Rogovtseva, admitted that the Children Instead of Flowers campaign will not actually hit the business, since the desire of children and their parents to thank their teacher will not go anywhere.

“It is not necessary to coincide with September 1, when a child in a white apron or white blouse, in a smart uniform, with a bouquet of flowers ... This is touching, this is good, this is somehow traditional for us,” said Rogovtseva.

“When we sell, say, 10 roses, and the 11th goes to this fund. Or, for example, we sell three bouquets, and the sale of the fourth goes in favor of a charitable foundation. And there are many such options, and they do not undermine either the business itself or the training itself, they do not become so intrusive and contradictory, ”added Rogovtseva.

RIA News
Alexey Malgavko

Singer Olga Orlova told RT that she first heard about the action, but is ready to take part in it.

“I think it's right. Because in any case, 30, 20, 15 bouquets is too much. One large and beautiful (or two) would be enough, and this money would be useful to those who need it, ”Orlova said.

“It is very important for us that this action is primarily an initiative of the teacher and parents, that it be voluntary. This is not a story about orders and directives, because charity is, in principle, about the desire to help,” said Elena Martyanova, press secretary of the Vera Charitable Foundation.

She added that the fund helps schools that decide to take part in the action in carrying out the action. Martyanova emphasized that a significant expansion of its geography became a feature of the Children Instead of Flowers campaign in 2017.

“This idea resonated with so many teachers and parents. And someone did not find a response, someone says and believes that this is wrong. And that's okay too. It is the right of every person to decide exactly how to help and how exactly to celebrate September 1, ”concluded Martyanova.

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4 years ago, a teacher from Moscow, Asya Shtein, proposed holding a September 1st flashmob for teachers. The idea immediately found support, turning into a large-scale action that helps to make the lives of many children a little better.

website admires the simplicity and genius of this idea and encourages all parents and schoolchildren to adopt it on September 1st.

4 years ago, Literature teacher Asya Stein suggested that her colleagues arrange a September 1st flashmob

“Dear fellow teachers! Dear parents of students! I propose to arrange a special September 1st flash mob with the conditional name “Living Children Instead of Dead Flowers” or simply “Flowers of Life”!”

The bottom line is simple: on September 1, parents of schoolchildren are asked to give their teacher only 1 bouquet instead of 30 magnificent bouquets from the class, and transfer the saved money to support terminally ill children.

The idea immediately found support from other teachers and schoolchildren.

In 2015, 200 schools and 500 classes took part in the action, in 2016 the number of participants tripled. In the first year, we managed to raise 8 million rubles. And in the next - 10 million more.

A little arithmetic

Approximately 14 million children went to school in 2016. If we assume that half of them came to class on September 1 with a bouquet for at least 500 rubles, then it turns out that in just 1 day, schoolchildren spent 3.5 billion rubles on flowers!

And if we imagine that each of the 1.2 million teachers in our country will receive only 1 bouquet, then an astronomical amount will be saved: more than 2 billion rubles! This money would be enough for several years of work of charitable foundations. Agree, withered flowers in the teacher's room are not worth it.

This year the action will be held for the 4th time. The organizers hope to break the record of 2017, when 39 million 560 thousand rubles were collected.

This money was sent to help seriously ill children - wards of the Vera Foundation and the Children's Hospice House with a Lighthouse

These funds were used to buy medicines, medical equipment, special food and hygiene items for terminally ill children from 463 Russian families.

For example, Polina from Tobolsk received a large supply of consumables for the apparatus with which she breathes.

Little Dima, who is not even 2 years old, suffers from spinal muscular atrophy. Thanks to the action participants, he received an active wheelchair, and with it freedom of movement.

2-year-old Masha from Moscow has an organic lesion of the central nervous system. Funds raised during the campaign "Children instead of flowers" went to the purchase of medicines and food, car seats and products for fixing legs.

And there are hundreds of such stories. And our children must know about them, Nyuta Federmesser, the founder of the Vera Foundation, believes.

“The more attention we pay to children who are seriously ill, the more valuable and merciful our own children are. It is not important how much we collect, but who takes part in the collection. It is teachers, parents and children who are shaping our future.”
Founder of the Vera Foundation Nyuta Federmesser

This is how a simple teacher taught not only children, but also adults, perhaps the main lesson - the lesson of kindness. We are grateful to Asya and all those who supported her initiative and proved that doing great good deeds is not so difficult.

About the dangers of the action "Children instead of flowers" ...

This initiative arose, perhaps without malicious intent, the initiators, perhaps, did not have a conscious attempt to discredit the holiday on September 1 and finally finish off the school. Although, if you look at the composition of the board of the Vera Foundation, pay attention to their other public actions, doubts involuntarily arise that the Foundation's initiative does not have a double bottom. For example, the founder, Nyuta Federmesser, is a favorite of the Orthodoxy and the World portal. At the end of November 2015, Pravmir even organized a discussion with her participation. Two other prominent authors of the portal also took part in that conversation - one of the most prominent representatives of the neo-renovation party in the Church, Archpriest Alexy Uminsky, and an apologist for sodomy, a writer. By the way, Ulitskaya is a member of the board of trustees of the Vera Foundation. The ideology of these people is known and understandable. There is another well-known guardian of children, family and school in the Board of the Foundation - Anatoly Chubais.

Indeed, why come up with this stupid action of refusing flowers for teachers to help sick children. If the Foundation wants to help sick children, it is more logical for it to turn to rich people and offer them to donate some amount to help the sick. We are told that this action brings compassion to healthy children and their parents, as well as teachers who refuse flowers to help the sick. Well, let's say, to bring up mercy in parents and teachers in this way is a very strange occupation. But if the founders of the Foundation really care about the education of mercy in healthy children, then they should organize visits by healthy children to the sick, and not suggest that children show mercy at the expense of adults.

I would like to address parents and teachers in this regard. Dear parents, don't be afraid to bring flowers to school! Dear teachers, do not hesitate to accept flowers! Do not pay attention to dubious provocative initiatives!

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Comments - 14

Comments

13. Alexander Vaskin, Russian priest, officer of the Soviet Army : Reply to 3., Hyuga:
2017-08-30 at 18:05

The Soviet school is the same myth as the T-34 tank. How, isn't the T-34 the best tank of World War II? And the gearbox. Because of such a miracle box, the driver cannot turn on the desired speed, the tank stops and catches an enemy projectile. And visibility, and the driver does not see anything through the viewing slots and opens the hatch. It's on the battlefield.

11. Russian Stalinist :
2017-08-30 at 14:00

As for the topic of the article, this is generally some kind of nonsense, where are the flowers for teachers on September 1, and where is the help for sick children.

10. Russian Stalinist : Reply to 7., Silvio63:
2017-08-30 at 13:54

That's right, Hitler's generals and tankers do not lie, because it is difficult to suspect them of "Stalinism".
Up to the Kursk Bulge, where for the first time "Tigers" and "Panthers" were used in large quantities, the Germans did not have an adequate response to the T-34.
But even though the T-34s could penetrate the armor of the Nazi menagerie only at close range, this did not help the Nazis, and the Citadel failed, which predetermined the final and irrevocable turning point in the war in favor of the Soviet Union.

9. rudovsky : Re: What for to put so a question: flowers to our teachers or sick children?
2017-08-30 at 13:27

Vladimir Antsiferov
hello Vladimir:) I'm glad to see you too. Your courteous words, as always, spread like honey over my soul and my heart.

Andrey Karpov
requisition is too harsh a word. Rather, compensation, a non-market and unregulated mechanism for the redistribution of mat. benefits (it's no secret that along with flowers they also present expensive stationery sets, sweets, gift cards) in favor of teachers who - and this is already a real tradition - are considered poor state employees (which is true in a significant part of the territory of the Russian Federation).

Vladimir Petrovich
Well, actually, some people did just that - they handed out all the property (and went to preach) and no birthday gifts for you or sacrificial rams at the altars of Artemis-Apollo.
Then these people began to be recognized as saints.
So it goes.

8. Andrey Karpov : Re: What for to put so a question: flowers to our teachers or sick children?
2017-08-30 at 12:01

Vera's proposal is within the logic of fundraisers. They are constantly looking for ways to attract new donations. The standard method is to find a point of inexpedient (impragmatic) spending and offer to replace it with contributions to the fund. Flowers for September 1 - non-pragmatic spending. Therefore, the proposal to replace them with donations for a good deed is expected and natural ...

However, a person cannot refuse all non-pragmatic spending. Or rather, he can refuse, but this is unlikely to contribute to his mental health. Therefore, such proposals have quite natural limitations ...

In addition, replacing flowers with a monetary deduction is not quite adequate. Flowers are visible. Giving flowers is a mutual pleasure, which is why there is a general feeling of celebration. Transferring money is not fun at all. This is a pragmatic action, it can be attributed to the due, but in no way - to the pleasant. Therefore, we may lose the holiday, but it is not clear what society will gain in return. Donations will obviously be less than spending on flowers...

On the other hand, flowers on September 1 have become a mandatory option (a deep tradition). Therefore, they can be perceived as a requisition. This is not very good... So, there is certainly a reason for the proposal from the fund...

7. Silvio63 : Reply to 3., Hyuga:
2017-08-30 at 10:44

In the East, the Russians had few tanks for a long time, and their radio equipment was unsatisfactory. However, already a few months after the start of the war, the Russians got the T-34 tank, which, with its armor protection, armament and maneuverability, significantly surpassed the German tanks.>>
G. Guderian >

engineer Lieutenant General E. Schneider >

>
O.Karius >

6. Vladimir Antsiferov : Reply to 3., Hyuga:
2017-08-30 at 10:08

I report that I studied at a Soviet school in the city of Khotkovo, Moscow Region, entered the 1st grade in 1958, graduated from the 10th grade in 1968 with a silver medal and never once brought a bouquet of flowers to school. There was no such thing in the traditions of the Soviet school then. We did not live well, and therefore there was no money for bouquets. Ten years later, everything changed and the bouquet of flowers already began to perform a different function - the parents competed among themselves in the richness of the bouquet, but this had nothing to do with respect for the teacher. It has already become false. Later, some children began to be brought to schools by car - and this was also false - sheer boasting. For all the years of study at school, they never demanded at least a penny for the needs of the school, and then they began to demand. Who is to blame for this? The authorities and the RONO - the teacher is obliged to equip the class, while the state did not let the teacher get a penny for this. This is where the hypocrisy started. And in general, I will report that the Soviet school was not so good and the Soviet form of education was far from the needs of life. The Soviet school is the same myth as the T-34 tank. How, isn't the T-34 the best tank of World War II? And the gearbox. Because of such a miracle box, the driver cannot turn on the desired speed, the tank stops and catches an enemy projectile. And visibility, and the driver does not see anything through the viewing slots and opens the hatch. It's on the battlefield. So here is the school. I would suggest not to give bouquets of flowers at all when I studied at Moscow Higher Technical School - they didn’t bring flowers there either. Respect for the teacher is not measured by the richness of the bouquet. Parents themselves put the teacher in anything. Lies all around and everywhere! Starting from school.

And you yourself, huh, or whatever you are, there is a complete lie in an "Orthodox wrapper", you vile liberal, you already got it with the ghoul Rudovsky here with your slander, so the T-34 tank has already been dragged in. And Leningrad had to be handed over to the Nazis, huh. You are a "pure" accomplice of all these "teachers, Serebrennikovs, Pozners, Vyrapaevs, Svanidzes, Federmessers, Shteins, Chubais, Solovievs" and all the other demons from the small-liberoid people ...

5. Vladimir Antsiferov : Answer to 1., Rudovsky:
2017-08-30 at 10:01

Is this a new fashion - to call any obscure (or misunderstood!?) thing "Protestant-Iscariot"? And what is the point of putting an equal sign between a TV series and charity? maybe there was no conscious attempt to discredit the holiday on September 1 and finally finish off the school (c) Maybe? Is it difficult to ask the initiators of this fund directly? Calling or sending a fax or sending a letter is elementary! It’s not the lack of carnations that will kill the school, but beggarly salaries (and, as a result, corruption), the lack of advanced training courses, low-quality training programs and manuals. Well, let’s say, to bring up mercy in parents in this way and teachers - a very strange occupation (c) But how to educate him? There is a certain festive day when the accents are very brightly placed. And then people who are concentrated on some events and phenomena are suddenly offered to look at other events and phenomena. After all, this is actually a vicious logic for you - to expose everything in a row in a negative light. Well, how will an article like "do not pay attention to dubious materials of the Russian folk line" appear on the website of this foundation!? So what? Does anyone get any better from this?

You expose everything in a negative light, Rudovsky, you are a victim of the Jewish ideology of consumption and profit, you are a bastard, Rudovsky!

4. tatyana65 : Indeed, this initiative has an unpleasant odor ...
2017-08-29 at 23:40

That's right, a lot of questions, why such clouds of flowers...? But in the West, they give bouquets, one by one for a living person, officially so ..., it's cold ...
And only at the funeral they fill the graves with flowers. Maybe there is also a cry to throw. "Not the dead bouquets, but the children - medicines"?
Much nobler, why do the dead need flowers?..
And the presence of Chubais in this campaign completely discouraged my desire to transfer money to their fund. He, as it were, earns so much that he could provide targeted treatment for each sick child, but no ... Rather, he will warm his hands here too. Children from these "flowers" will get a penny and Uminsky will not help.

3. Hyuga : September 1 in the minds of many generations of Russian and Russian people was associated with a holiday, an integral part of which is a bouquet of flowers for the teacher.
2017-08-29 at 22:00

I report that I studied at a Soviet school in the city of Khotkovo, Moscow Region, entered the 1st grade in 1958, graduated from the 10th grade in 1968 with a silver medal and never once brought a bouquet of flowers to school. There was no such thing in the traditions of the Soviet school then. We did not live well, and therefore there was no money for bouquets. Ten years later, everything changed and the bouquet of flowers already began to perform a different function - the parents competed among themselves in the richness of the bouquet, but this had nothing to do with respect for the teacher. It has already become false. Later, some children began to be brought to schools by car - and this was also false - sheer boasting.
For all the years of studying at school, they never demanded at least a penny for the needs of the school, and then they began to demand. Who is to blame for this? The authorities and the RONO - the teacher is obliged to equip the class, while the state did not let the teacher get a penny for this. This is where the hypocrisy comes from.
In general, I will report that the Soviet school was not so good and the Soviet form of education was far from the needs of life. The Soviet school is the same myth as the T-34 tank. How, isn't the T-34 the best tank of World War II? And the gearbox. Because of such a miracle box, the driver cannot turn on the desired speed, the tank stops and catches an enemy projectile. And visibility, and the driver does not see anything through the viewing slots and opens the hatch. It's on the battlefield. So here is the school.
I would suggest not to give bouquets of flowers at all when I studied at Moscow Higher Technical School - they didn’t bring flowers there either. Respect for the teacher is not measured by the richness of the bouquet. Parents themselves put the teacher in anything. Lies all around and everywhere! Starting from school.

2. Vladimir Petrovich : Re: What for to put so a question: flowers to our teachers or sick children?
2017-08-29 at 19:44

Instead of flowers for teachers, a contribution to the fund. Instead of a birthday present, a contribution to the fund. Instead of flowers for your beloved, a contribution to the fund. This is some nonsense! Charity is one thing, but a gift to a teacher is another. If a person has a spiritual need to provide charitable assistance, he will always find someone to do it and when. But not instead of a completely different traditional, also spiritual, holiday. Especially to allocate funds in which Lyudmila Ulitskaya is a member of the Board of Trustees ..?

1. rudovsky : Re: What for to put so a question: flowers to our teachers or sick children?
2017-08-29 at 18:54

Is this a new fashion - to call any incomprehensible (or misunderstood!?) thing "Protestant-Iscariot"?
And what is the point of putting an equal sign between a TV series and charity?

This initiative arose, perhaps without malicious intent, the initiators, perhaps, did not have a conscious attempt to discredit the holiday on September 1 and finally finish off the school (c)
May be? Is it difficult to ask the initiators of this fund directly? Call or send a fax or send a letter - it's elementary!
The school will be finished off not by the lack of carnations, but by miserable salaries (and, as a result, corruption), the lack of refresher courses, low-quality training programs and manuals.

Well, let's say that raising mercy in parents and teachers in this way is a very strange occupation (c)
And how to educate him? There is a certain festive day when the accents are very brightly placed. And then people who are concentrated on some events and phenomena are suddenly offered to look at other events and phenomena.

After all, this is actually a vicious logic for you - to expose everything in a row in a negative light. Well, how will an article like "do not pay attention to dubious materials of the Russian folk line" appear on the website of this foundation!? So what? Does anyone get any better from this?

The charity event "Children instead of flowers" will traditionally be held on the Day of Knowledge. Its essence is simple: do not buy a teacher, but give one bouquet from the class. Saved money - to give to help sick children. Every year more and more schools join the action. Last year, 6.5 thousand classes from different regions of Russia took part. Then the money was received by almost half a thousand families. Now 700 children across the country are waiting for help. Read more in the material of the correspondent of "MIR 24" Artem Vasnev.

- You were given one bouquet, and was that enough?

- Yes, my parents gave me one bouquet, and I was glad.

Mathematics teacher Yulia Yakovleva has been in the profession for 13 years. In the career of every teacher, a bouquet on September 1 is the norm. But five years ago, a new tradition appeared, which became an all-Russian action: to save on bouquets for the sake of charity. The meaning of the flash mob: one bouquet - in the hands of the classroom, the rest of the money - seriously ill children.

“The greatest joy on the Day of Knowledge is to meet our children on the doorstep of the school,” said Yulia Yakovleva, a mathematics teacher at Moscow School No. 498.

In Russia, this year the lines will gather 15.5 million schoolchildren. A million of them are first graders. Kids are guaranteed to come with flowers. The average bouquet in Moscow is about 1500 rubles, in the regions the price tag is 1000 rubles. Simple arithmetic. If on September 1 all schoolchildren of the country come with flowers, then it will turn out to be quite a decent amount - 15 billion rubles.

“Agree with the teacher, come to the line with one flower instead of a bouquet. Put it all in one beautiful bouquet, and send the saved money to charity and make hundreds of children with seriously ill people happy,” says the PR director of the Vera Hospice Fund.

Last year, 132 cities took part in the action. Collected millions. The Vera Foundation reports for every ruble. This is for skeptics. The Bashinkaev family does not even think about it. Parents are doctors, they know what pain and illness are, and they tell the truth to their children.

“A very good decision. One bouquet of it will be enough for the teacher. But children still need money more,” Zuliana Bashinkayeva believes.

Mom, returning from work, brings each of the four children a carnation. A round sum is converted into good. The funds will go to help this blond girl, too - Kira is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

Kira, a second grader, only got an electric scooter this spring. She will now ride it to school. The girl has a severe genetic disease -. The body is naughty, and Kira dreams of becoming an actress.

“Well, we have dances at school and I liked the dances. I get everything and there is nothing to do at all. It is easy to remember,” the schoolgirl says.

“On the New Year, Kira participated, we had a concert, Kira was our Snow Maiden. I sewed a dress for her walker. And she made a splash there, ”said her mother Alla.

All schoolchildren still have time to be a wizard. And their parents - to give such an opportunity.