Chapter: The Ones Who Notice

Chapter: The Ones Who Notice

It was just after lunchtime on Collection Day when the message came in.

> “Hi, I’ve clicked on the link to donate, but it is saying page not available. Just in case you miss out on some donations, maybe try repost link. Thanks, Kayleen.”



It was short. Thoughtful. The kind of message that should have been met with urgency and gratitude. Instead, it got lost in the noise.

The irony was hard to ignore. While athletes and volunteers stood outside cafés and supermarkets since 7am, soaked and smiling for the cause, the digital link — the heart of the donation drive — was broken. How many potential supporters clicked, got an error, and walked away, assuming it was just them?

Kayleen was one of the few who said something. She noticed.

In a system that often leaned on the unpaid labour of athletes and volunteers, it wasn’t surprising that no one had tested the link properly. Appearances were polished. Logistics, less so.

And once again, it was the people at the grassroots who bore the cost — not the decision-makers in suits, but the ones in tracksuits with buckets and blistered feet, hoping someone would stop and see them.

Kayleen did.

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