It had been a long semester of juggling academics and volunteer work at STREAMS Pathways to Higher Education. As a nice break for the volunteers, the program’s Volunteers Formation Department came up with...STREAMS Recharge Sports Fest, a fun fest filled with classic childhood games.
On November 22, 2014, an entire afternoon dedicated to fun and games was held at the Xavier University Magis Roofdeck for all the hardworking volunteers.
Starting off the event, the facilitators, Lloyd Luyao and Emma Pacala, initiated the first game: Patintero. To change the usual feel of the game, the line markers and boundaries used for the game were made much wider and an extra man was added to watch the center line. To make it even more fun, volunteers from other SACDEV programs were also encouraged to join. This proved useful for those who needed to rest in-between games.
After the tiring first game, everyone was given a light snack and time to rest, which was then followed by the next game: Dodgeball, or more commonly referred to as Dancing Ball. This game basically had the usual goal – to hit members of the opposing team until no one is left. However, two balls were allowed to be used simultaneously instead of the usual one, making the game even more thrilling.
During this event, Nicko Abapo, a STREAMS volunteer and participant of the sports fest, praised the games that were played. “Childhood games sila pero ang facilitators kay ga-put ug [gamay] nga twists sa games para mas enjoy siya nga madula,” he said.
Succeeding games of Bunong-Braso (arm wrestling) and Bahog-Bahog (Scotty or Agawang Base) followed, both games proving to be just as fun.
“The event made me feel the camaraderie with my co-volunteers and took me back to my younger years, making me reminisce the past when I was just a little child who used to play and dream about his future,” said Brian Nacalaban, another volunteer of STREAMS and participant of the Sports Fest.
Once the afternoon had passed and all the games had ended, it was time for everyone to start packing up and head for home. Although the volunteers were ironically tired by the end, it was clear on everyone’s faces how the event had been a nice break and definitely a big recharge as they go back to face the second semester.