Snapshot: Donation of 600,000 yuan. Chart by Zhao Ming. Reported by Li Yongming, a reporter of this newspaper.
Recently, the donation account of Jinan Red Cross Society received two donations of 300,000 yuan each from the same donor for the purpose of assisting drought-stricken areas in Jinan and other extremely impoverished families. The donor specifically requested: "Our donation is the same as any other donor’s; it represents a sense of responsibility to society. Please do not disclose our personal information." This act of kindness has become the largest individual donation ever received by the Jinan Red Cross Society.
The 600,000-yuan donation was made to assist drought-affected areas and extremely poor families. On February 14th, the Jinan Red Cross Society officially issued two large donation receipts totaling 600,000 yuan. However, the person who came to collect the donation receipt was not the donor herself but her younger brother, Mr. Cao.
Mr. Cao said that these two donations were made by his sister through the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to the donation account of the Jinan Red Cross Society. They were donated under the names of both husband and wife, hoping that the Red Cross Society would use the money to help struggling families.
Regarding the use of the donations, Ms. Cao clearly specified that 300,000 yuan would be used to assist extremely impoverished families affected by the drought in Jinan, while the other 300,000 yuan would help other extremely impoverished families. After verifying the donations with the bank, the Jinan Red Cross Society immediately issued the donation receipts to Mr. Cao.
These two donations are the largest individual donations ever received by the Jinan Red Cross Society since its establishment. Vice President Ma Jiren conveyed his respect and gratitude to Ms. Cao for her kind contribution and trust in the Red Cross Society. He also detailed the strict procedures for receiving and using donations, promising to timely update Ms. Cao on how each donation was utilized.
"We are no different from other donors."
"The staff at the Red Cross Society planned to announce this information on their website, but Ms. Cao insisted that her personal information should not be disclosed," a staff member of the Red Cross Society said.
Mr. Cao, who came to collect the receipt on behalf of his sister, said that his sister and her husband wished to silently support society. His sister told him before coming: "Society is a big family. Some people need help, and we can offer some assistance. It's our duty. Our donation is no different from others; it represents a responsibility to society."
Based on this consideration, Ms. Cao requested that her personal information not be publicized. She plans to continue such actions in the future and hopes that more caring individuals will emerge in society.
Ms. Cao has already accumulated donations of 850,000 yuan.
"This is not the first time Ms. Cao has made a donation," a staff member of the Red Cross Society told reporters. Last year, Ms. Cao personally donated 200,000 yuan through the bank. Not long after, she donated another 50,000 yuan, all of which were used to assist extremely impoverished families and disaster victims.
According to statistics from the Jinan Red Cross Society, up to now, Ms. Cao has cumulatively donated 850,000 yuan through the Red Cross Society. At the end of last year, during the third meeting of the seventh session of the Jinan Red Cross Society Council, Ms. Cao was awarded the "Jinan Red Cross Society Boai Medal" for her individual donation of 200,000 yuan.
Reporters learned that Ms. Cao did not attend the ceremony to receive the medal at that time. "She still wishes to quietly help others and society rather than publicize her own kindness," said a relevant official of the Red Cross Society.
For this donation, Vice President Ma Jiren handed over a handshake sculpture symbolizing the spirit of "humanity, love, and dedication," and Vice President Sun Baozhan presented a donation certificate to Mr. Cao to be passed on to Ms. Cao. Regarding this donation, the Red Cross Society specially convened a general party committee meeting. According to the donor's wishes, the 300,000 yuan intended for drought relief will be implemented soon.
[Reporter's Notes]
The flower of charity blooms quietly
An individual donates 600,000 yuan? Who exactly is this donor? In response to these questions, Ms. Cao, the donor, clearly stated that she does not want her personal information to be publicized, emphasizing that she is no different from other donors. This flower of charity blooming in Quancheng chooses to bloom quietly. We can only choose to respect the donor's wishes.
On the path of Chinese charity, some choose to be high-profile, like Chen Guangbiao, known as "China's First Philanthropist," who publicly donates hundreds of millions of yuan, explicitly stating that it is to call on more people to participate in charity; others choose to remain anonymous. In the history of donations to the Jinan Red Cross Society, there have been many anonymous donors. After disasters such as the Wenchuan earthquake, the Yushu earthquake, and the Zhouqu mudslide, many citizens or enterprises in Jinan chose to donate anonymously.
How should the flower of charity bloom to be more vibrant? Whether high-profile or anonymous, the goal is the same. High-profile charity calls on the entire society to participate. Why not? Low-profile charity helps silently, achieving one's own wishes, which is also a personal choice.
"American Charity Father" Carnegie once said in his "Wealth Essay": "We will establish an ideal country that transforms the remaining wealth of a few into the wealth of the majority in the best way possible." Charity is not about the method of participation, but about participation itself. From Jet Li's "One Foundation" concept of one yuan per person to Chen Guangbiao's "money wall" to the love aggregation of countless anonymous donors, the path of kindness becomes wider due to various choices. (Reported by Li Yongming)