This year's White Flower charity event will be held on May 18 at the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent. It will be timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the birth of the founder of the monastery, Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna Romanova. “Charity in Russia begins with a clean slate,” say modern fundraising experts. Meanwhile, charity in Russia has already turned 1000 years old. Olga BELYAEVA found out how donations were collected in Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century and whether this experience can be applied in modern life.
Bouquet against hunger
Tsar's children on White Flower Day In March 1910, at the All-Russian Congress of Charity Workers, it was reported that, according to the most rough estimates, more than 27 million rubles were being distributed in Russia “for Christ’s sake.”
At the same time, in the middle zone, a pound of wheat bread (0.454 kg) cost 3.5-4 kopecks, a ton of coal - 10 rubles, and a pound of the best quality meat - 16-17 kopecks, female domestic servants received 6-8 rubles per month, and rent a large apartment (6 or more rooms) cost about 700 rubles per year. Even though the lion's share of charity in Russia was private, this did not mean that the state did not keep an eye on it. Respectable merchants and trustworthy citizens were entrusted with the construction of shelters and the maintenance of almshouses. And, for example, simple organ grinders, in order to receive permission to walk the streets, had to transfer a small amount to set up educational homes. The state also kept under control private production of a dubious nature. For example, there was only one factory in the country that produced playing cards, and it was the property of the Imperial Orphanage of the St. Petersburg Board of Guardians - thus, card production was monopolized for charitable purposes. In matters of charity, the connection between the state and private capital was completely natural: rich and influential people often occupied large administrative or public positions. A striking example of such relationships were the extremely popular “Flower Days” at the beginning of the 20th century, in which officials and charitable societies united to collect donations.
The idea of holding “Flower Days” belongs to the Portuguese government and the League against Consumption of the Red Cross. To cope with the tuberculosis epidemic, leaflets about the prevention of the disease and bouquets of flowers were distributed on city streets in exchange for charitable donations. The campaign to sell daisies as an emblem of the fight against tuberculosis was very successful. Soon the idea of “White Chamomile” reached Russia, where tuberculosis was one of the most common diseases. By decree of Emperor Nicholas II, who spent large personal sums on charity, the Russian League against Consumption was created in 1910 in St. Petersburg. And already in the spring of 1911, the first “White Flower Day” was held in St. Petersburg. The progress of the action was monitored by Committees, which were headed by members of the League board or one of the prominent persons of the city. Representatives of the local aristocracy or merchant class also participated in the Committees.
Before the start of the action, prepared bouquets of artificial daisies, leaflets and commemorative tokens were delivered to the district committees. Students - students of the Higher Women's Courses and the Women's Medical Institute - took bouquets and dispersed around the city. They put flowers in small white and yellow baskets. The saleswomen's ribbons and hairpins also had to be in bright colors. Collections were best at tram stops - such results were achieved by posting advertising posters in tram cars. The organizers especially emphasized that every penny is valuable. There was no price list for bouquets - everyone gave as much as they could, and for both a penny and a ruble the same bouquet was given. Donors who gave 5 or more rubles were given a commemorative badge. The money was placed in a sealed tin box; the seal was removed only when the money was counted at the district committee. A report on the funds collected and their use was published in newspapers.
Also in 1911, “White Flower Days” took place throughout Russia. In Moscow, 132 thousand rubles were collected for those in need. In Kazan, for example, 125 thousand factory-made and 75 thousand home-made flowers were prepared, 80 thousand leaflets were printed calling for the fight against consumption, and all this was sold out before noon. The fees amounted to more than 18 thousand rubles. With this money, a tuberculosis clinic for children was built in the village of Togashevo near Kazan. More than 40 children of artisans and laborers were sent there to rest with adequate food and treatment. To attract attention to the collection, car rallies were organized in provincial cities (seeing a car in the provinces in those years was a big event).
“Flower Day” caused such a response among the population that it began to be held at least four times a year. The flowers were different, each symbolizing one problem. Bouquets of white chamomile were distributed on the day of the fight against consumption, bouquets of ears of rye - when collected in favor of starving peasants, people who bought pink flowers helped orphans.
The sale of bouquets also raised money for the soldiers of the Russian army. In the spring of 1913 (the end of the Balkan War of 1912-1913), one thousand two hundred volunteer collectors, students and female students were supposed to distribute several thousand bouquets and 160 thousand commemorative tokens to St. Petersburg residents for those whose donations amounted to more than 10 rubles. “The good purpose of the holiday, the intelligent composition of collectors and collectors of society, mainly from student youth, did their job, and already from 11 o’clock in the morning a shortage of tokens began to be felt,” reported a reporter from Petersburg Leaflet. — The organizing committee of the event was forced to hastily request from the factory all the remaining balance from the order for tokens, but this helped for no more than an hour. Then the ladies in the district committees themselves began to make bouquets, but after lunch there weren’t enough of them, and the public, who put their donations into mugs, had to be content with modest sheets of paper dedicated to the activities of the society”...
Raising funds to fight tuberculosis. Nizhny Novgorod, 1912
White flowers in Kursk
“White Flower Days” have been regularly held in Kursk since 2007. Their initiators are students and teachers of Kursk State University.
The money raised from the first event was used to buy textbooks, stationery and toys for children from boarding school No. 2 in the village. Mokva. The following actions were carried out in favor of seriously ill people in need of expensive treatment. In April 2009, the “White Flower Day” campaign took to the city streets for the first time. In 2009, university students managed to collect about 30 thousand rubles for Sasha Trunova, suffering from cancer of the lymphatic system, and 21 thousand rubles for Katya Kozyakova, suffering from a severe genetic disease (mucopolysaccharidosis).
In 2010, all proceeds from the sale of white flowers went to help Sasha Isaikin, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy complicated by epilepsy.
This time, funds are being raised for 11-year-old Polina Solodovnikova, who suffers from asthma, osteoporosis, hemiparesis (weakening of one half of the body) and celiac disease (intolerance to carbohydrate-containing foods). “The money collected by the students will be used to pay for the girl’s treatment at the St. Petersburg medical center,” university press secretary Alexey Salov told RIA Novosti.
Tobacco case
Clothing collections were not so popular - people preferred to give money to charities, which would be used to purchase everything they needed.
Perhaps that is why “Tobacco Day,” organized by artists of St. Petersburg theaters, did not bring the expected results. In 1914, artists held an event to collect tobacco and shag for soldiers in the active army: a ticket to the theater for a charity performance could be bought for a pouch of shag. Artists also walked along the street, selling tokens and bouquets for tobacco and shag. But the artists collected things for less than the students with bouquets. The tobacco business turned out to be too troublesome: after all, anyone who wanted to receive a ticket in exchange for tobacco had to return home or go to the store for tobacco. Other forms of collecting donations were also widespread: charity auctions and bazaars, balls, performances, concerts, as well as collections through subscription lists. Fundraisers using subscription lists attracted benefactors with the names of famous people, artists, and writers. The signature sheet included the name of the benefactor and the amount of the donation. Often the amounts of money were small, but there were many donors. Success was achieved either due to the fact that the first donors - well-known, respected people - contributed large sums of money, and others followed their example, or due to mass participation. For example, in this way, on the initiative of the Holy Cross Brotherhood, a school for blind children was built in Tambov.
Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna (1854-1920), widow of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich (the eldest uncle of Emperor Nicholas II), often organized charity auctions, which invariably raised large sums. To help starving peasants, Maria Pavlovna organized a charity bazaar in the Assembly of the Nobility. Peasant food and household items were sold at the bazaar. The concept of a “fashionable charity bazaar” even began to enter the lives of ordinary people. This was condemned by many donors, who believed that it was impossible to combine the concepts of “fashion” and “charity”, just as it was impossible to place the word “charity” and “bare legs of ballerinas” on the same poster on the poster of some charity performance with a ballet program.
“Mug” collections were very popular: iron mugs hung outside on the walls of shelters, almshouses, and orphanages. Any passerby could become a benefactor. The money collected went to the needs of the residents. For example, an almshouse in Moscow could afford annual repairs using club fees.
A little history
“White Flower Day” was born at the beginning of the twentieth century and was initially a campaign to help tuberculosis patients. It was not possible to establish exactly who started these actions first. Some sources point to Switzerland as the pioneer, others to Sweden, and still others to Portugal. Denmark is also called the founder of this initiative.
One way or another, already in the 1900s, people with man-made daisies began to appear on the streets throughout Europe in the spring. The payment for flowers was not fixed - anyone could pay as much as they could. Everyone put whatever amount they could into donation mugs. These actions took place under the auspices of anti-tuberculosis societies.
What about now?
According to many modern Russian fundraisers (fundraising is raising charitable funds), today the majority of our fellow citizens believe that only very rich people should take part in charitable fundraising. And a person collecting money from a subscription list in a storey building will cause bewilderment and mistrust, even to the point of calling the police.
Irina Menshenina, director of fundraising for the Russian-British charitable foundation Downside Up (helping children with Down syndrome): “They have known about charity and its opportunities abroad since childhood. Schools often host charity auctions, and this comes naturally. It’s a completely common thing for a schoolboy to go to his neighbors with a signature sheet to collect money, for example, for earthquake victims. And the neighbors will take this calmly. Unfortunately, many people think that our 50 or 100 rubles cannot help someone. In England, during a TV show, they announced a fundraiser. Everyone who calls donates £10. The phones in the studio were literally heating up. A friend then said to me: “And here in Russia there are about 150 million people living, if each person gets ten million…”
To attract donors, modern fundraisers prefer to organize concerts, festivals, auctions or sporting events. “The Red Square bike ride, which we have been organizing since 1996, is one of the most successful charity events in Russia,” says Irina Menshenina. “It costs up to 26 thousand dollars to organize it, and the amount of charitable donations is about 140 thousand. Over the 10 years of its existence, the bike ride has raised more than $1 million. Basically, the participants of the race are representatives of middle and senior management from Russia, England, France and Holland. Each participant makes a charitable contribution, which goes towards rehabilitation programs for children with Down syndrome. Participants drive 150 kilometers through the forests of the Moscow region. The finish line is at Vasilievsky Spusk, where cyclists are met by Downside Up families, friends and journalists. This year our goal is to raise $120,000 to fund a new Early Intervention Center for our children.”
Meanwhile, in Nizhny Novgorod they tried to revive the tradition of “Flower Day”. At the regional conference of TB doctors in March 1998, it was announced that out of 27 anti-tuberculosis institutions, 14 are in need of repair, 7 are in disrepair, and the necessary set of anti-tuberculosis drugs is missing, which is why modern methods of treatment are not used. In the children's tuberculosis dispensary, where young patients spend up to 12 months, there was no medicine, toys or even butter, which sick children should receive daily. It was then that the future organizers of the action caught the eye of photographs by the famous Novgorod photographer of the early twentieth century, Maxim Dmitriev, in which young ladies and young men with posters “Your pennies will help the sick” collected money to fight tuberculosis. The organization of “White Flower Day” was carried out by: the Center for Support of Non-Profit Organizations “Service”, the Nizhny Novgorod Volunteer Service and the regional branch of the Social Information Agency. Volunteers found valuable instructions on how to conduct the event in the archives. The Nizhny Novgorod Listok, a newspaper of those years that published reports of the League against Consumption, helped in studying the organization of the Day. As a result, “White Flower Day” was copied from a charity fundraiser in 1911. True, with some innovations. Such as the honorary title "Miss (or Mister) White Flower", awarded to the volunteer who collects the most money. “By distributing white flowers - daisies, carnations, roses, peonies - we collected up to 10 thousand rubles in one day. In addition, many brought us things: medicine, food, toys. During the event, more than 300 thousand rubles worth of items were collected. Journalists themselves called and offered advertising space. During the entire period of the “Flower Day”, the organizers of the action did not spend a penny of the money collected on the action itself; all equipment was transferred to the tuberculosis dispensary by check, and the money was transferred to a bank account. The participants of the “Days” did not receive a salary, but they gained the respect of the residents of the entire city,” said Alla Balashova, coordinator of the “Days of Flowers” in Nizhny Novgorod.
Elena Kalmykova, director of the Museum of Entrepreneurs, Patrons and Philanthropists of Moscow, believes that the experience of pre-revolutionary collections is still applicable now: “I do not agree that charity is dead in Russia, and it needs to be restored again. Perhaps some methods have not been worked out, some developments have been lost, but charity itself has not gone away. They come to me, look at the files, get acquainted with reports, archives, and find out how charity fundraisers were organized in pre-revolutionary Russia. Everything that happened before is still applicable now, as the experience of the organizers of “White Flower Day” in Nizhny Novgorod clearly shows. Charity, in my opinion, is not the activity of only oligarchs or large firms. I don’t like the phrase “social responsibility of business” at all. Each of us should bring something good, charity should be public. And every person should be socially responsible.”
Start fundraising with a volunteer
To start raising money yourself, the first thing you need to do is describe the project and draw up an estimate. It is advisable that your thoughts fit on one piece of paper. And then you need to look for like-minded people. Look among friends and relatives for anyone who can help or donate even a little. If there is a city-forming enterprise, a large plant near the city, contact there. If not, try to find a plant or organization that is closely related to your problem. For example, if you are looking for funds to help sick children, contact pharmaceutical companies and the management of large pharmacy chains. Charitable organizations say that the majority of business leaders are very active in cooperation and donate willingly. It is also good to find a respected famous person who would publicly express his support for you. Or involve the media. It is best to hold a charity event. Fundraisers warn: do not aim for big money right away, do not organize long-term projects. Let it be a small, very tiny piece of the problem, but the time frame for its implementation should be minimal, and the opportunity to demonstrate the result should be maximum. It is important here that they believe you, to make sure that you are busy with real work.
Don't hesitate to volunteer. She reduces the costs of the event to a minimum, refuting the common belief that in such events only what they “didn’t eat at the buffet table” is spent on charity. However, do not entrust tasks that you cannot handle yourself to volunteers: it is better to entrust complex things to professionals. It is very important to consider that your action is an opportunity for your possible like-minded people to express themselves. Meet people in a way that makes them want to come back. It might be worth conducting a survey and writing down the contact numbers of those who came. Don't be upset if only 10 people come to your first event. Remember this is just the beginning.
Olga BELYAEVA
