Results: Putting Others Before Your Own Needs -- Canadian Couple Cancels Wedding To Help Syrian Refugees
1.
1.
A Toronto couple cancelled plans for a big, expensive wedding and asked guests at their small city hall ceremony to donate money in lieu of gifts — all to help them raise thousands of dollars to sponsor a family of Syrian refugees. Samantha Jackson and Farzin Yousefian were planning a traditional wedding for March with all the trimmings, at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars. They had already booked a venue, hired caterers, and invited family and friends. In September, they saw the pictures of three-year-old Alan Kurdi's lifeless body washed up on a Turkish beach — an image that put a global spotlight on the Syrian refugee crisis. Jackson and Yousefian have now put the wedding funds toward helping a Syrian family of four. Are you aware of this story?
Yes
14%
•
245 votes
No
77%
•
1378 votes
Not Applicable
10%
•
176 votes
2.
2.
The two, with their wedding funds and the donations from family and friends, have raised $17,500 of the $27,000 needed to sponsor the family of four. While planning their wedding, Jackson, who is studying refugee health-care policy and volunteers with the Ryerson University Lifeline Syria Challenge, which raises funds to sponsor refugees in Toronto, and Yousefian often talked about the global refugee crisis and wondered if they could help. What do you think of what they did? What a wonderful, completely selfless and humanitarian thing for this couple to do!
35%
•
627 votes
Good idea, but they could have donated the money to another worthwhile charity that helps those already in this country
18%
•
317 votes
No, weddings are about the couple, and they should have gone the traditional route--what they do with their money and gifts received is their choice
6%
•
107 votes
Great in principle, but maybe misguided use of money
7%
•
128 votes
Hopefully this will be a trend that other couples choose--who needs a big splashy and expensive wedding?
3%
•
53 votes
Not sure what to think
15%
•
270 votes
N.A
15%
•
270 votes
Other (please specify)
2%
•
27 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 0.33% | 6 | |
| Stupid | 0.11% | 2 |
| i think it is great that they did what they thought was nessessary. | 0.06% | 1 |
| Idiots | 0.06% | 1 |
| To each is own. | 0.06% | 1 |
| lame | 0.06% | 1 |
| Most of the "Syrian refugees" are neither Syrians nor refugees | 0.06% | 1 |
| help USA | 0.06% | 1 |
| We need to help the homeless in our countries, not people from other countries just because of an attack. That has nothing to do with us. They wouldn't do that for us! We need to first focus on the devastation happening in our own country | 0.06% | 1 |
| it is their business, not mine, but I would not and am not impress when others do | 0.06% | 1 |
| no | 0.06% | 1 |
| attention whores | 0.06% | 1 |
| Way wrong | 0.06% | 1 |
| Their money, their life. | 0.06% | 1 |
| They are our enemies. | 0.06% | 1 |
| The story is far fetched, from tens of thousands in the first question to 17,50 in the second. | 0.06% | 1 |
| F#ck Muslims. | 0.06% | 1 |
| Nothing | 0.06% | 1 |
| I'd bet there are plenty of people in Toronto that could use their help instead of sponsoring them | 0.06% | 1 |
| Stupid idea | 0.06% | 1 |
| Stupid waste of money | 0.06% | 1 |
3.
3.
Which statement best expresses how you feel about people spending huge amounts of money on their weddings?
It's their wedding--they can do whatever they want and spend whatever they want
39%
•
696 votes
I love big weddings--it's all about celebrating the beginning of the couple's life together
4%
•
71 votes
I totally hate when people spend so much money on big weddings, when the money could do so much good elsewhere
12%
•
216 votes
Who even needs a wedding now--just elope or have a small ceremony and use the money for other expenses
6%
•
102 votes
There has to be a middle ground--throw a nice party, but save money on all the extras and use it for something else
13%
•
233 votes
If anyone considering throwing a big wedding would donate the money they plan to spend to charity, it would do so much good
6%
•
112 votes
N.A
20%
•
358 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
•
11 votes
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
| 0.11% | 2 | |
| skimp on your wedding and send me the $$$ you saved-I can use it!!! | 0.06% | 1 |
| stupid | 0.06% | 1 |
| With divorce rates where they are, it usually is a HUGE waste of money. Not my problem though! | 0.06% | 1 |
| It's phoney. | 0.06% | 1 |
| Most people who spend so much, don,t stay together. | 0.06% | 1 |
| Its all about how YOU want to do your own wedding. | 0.06% | 1 |
| no | 0.06% | 1 |
| I do not judge others choices. | 0.06% | 1 |
| Spending huge amounts of money is a worthless waste...but it's their money | 0.06% | 1 |
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