Aug 29 2008
What is your cause?
One of the values I’d like to instill in our daughter is finding a cause, whatever that might be, that helps others in need or less fortunate than us. For me personally, that cause has been raising funds for, and participating in the “Light the Night” event for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. When I was a teenager, my grandmother Ruth very suddenly passed away from leukemia at age 65 and since then I have attempted to raise awareness and help raise funds to find a cure, or improved treatments for this disease.
Throughout college, I often helped organize events at different soup kitchens in Cincinnati, participated in the Jingle Bell Run (for the Arthritis Foundation) and read to children at inner-city schools. For the past few years, Brad has asked his industry friends to help gather cool stuff and provide to the Diabetes Auction/Fundraiser that Chad organizes every year. Just last week though, with a ton of support from my co-workers at Move, we raised $ to go out and buy school supplies for the LA Family Housing organization. We had recently volunteered there and seeing those innocent children smile even though their parents had made some choices that now left the whole family living in a government-assisted facility, I felt compelled to do more. Hearing a story on NPR about school starting and the amount of families who would not have enough money to purchase just the basic school supplies (pens, paper, maybe a backpack), I wanted to help.
I’m not writing this to pat myself on the back, but to share how much joy these experiences have brought to me — people always say that helping others makes you feel good and I completely agree…but encourage you to find (or share your story about) something that you believe in and brings help and love to someone who needs it.
My cause is children. I wish I would of had the education and experience that I now have to share with my own children. When we know better, we do better.
This brings me to an article a coworker recently sent to me. To all of those who teach and are involved in childen’s causes. For all of those of you whose dinning room tables, and whatever open space you have are covered with lesson plans on this Labor Day.
Dinner guest were sitting around the table discussing life. One person, a CEO, decided to explain the problem of education. He argued, “the education profession is never going to attarct the top people because the pay is low.” He reminded the other dinner guests the old saying about teachers. “Those who can do. Those who can’t teach.” To stress his point he said to another guest. You’re a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?”
Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied,”You want to know what I make ? ( She paused for a second, then begun…)
“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I make a A+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can’t make them sit for 5 without an IPod, Game Cube, or movie rental.
You want to know what I make ?
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them to write and then I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work.
I make students from other countries learn evrything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroon where all my students feel safe.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given work hard, and follow their hearts, they can suceed in life.
( Bonnie paused one last time and continued)
“Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn’t everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention.
You want to know what I make ?
I MAKE A DIFFERENCE !
Thank you Tina for getting it, and for teaching my grandaughter the importance of a cause.
Saundra
Those of you who know me know that I have had several “causes” in my life. Without the appearance of tooting my own horn, or making my efforts appear to be a resume, some of the so called causes in my life have been, like you Tina, helping to raise funds for the Lymphoma/Lukemia Society as well. My husband has been a Lymphoma survivor for 18 years now.
It was apparent that our little town of Union, Ky. was in need of emergency medical assistance, I along with a group of hard working citizens founded The Union Rescue Squad. I was an officer and ran squad for a number of years which was a rewarding experiance for the most part. There were times we walked away from an emergency and felt good about the aid we had given to someone in need, other times we lost and death and pain won…a part of life. To those folks who worked to provide emergency aid to others, while at times even putting their own lives in danger, for those whose lives hung in the balance between existence and death were people of great courage and dedicated to their fellow man. “Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for another”.
Another sucessful endeavor was the founding of the Ryle High School PTA. Ryle was a brand new high school, the second largest in the state. I was very reluctant to begin such a project and quite honestly knew very little about where to start. With the help of other parents, we raised over $32,000.00 for the students and school in a 2 yr. period. This benefited so many students and parents, the PTA continued to grow and is still a very sucessful organization. While there I founded the Ryle Craft Show which was initially and still is the largest craft show in 3 states. This was the most instrumental in funding the projects for the school.
I and 3 other ladies founded “Project Prom” for all of Boone County Schools, which is an event for students on one of the most deadly nights of the year, Prom Night. Who knows we may have saved some lives on those nights when students are known for going out to parties and drinking.
One day just prior to the tragedy of 9/11 the thought popped into my mind to have a support system for 1st responders. I sold sterling silver ID braclets with the names of firefighters, police and emergency responders. I had no idea where this would go. The local papers and tv stations picked up on it, I had the backing of county officials and within a period of a year sales of the bacelets exceeded $5,000.00 . That entire amount of money went to start a “Safe City” for children in an effort to teach them safety in many areas of their lives, to the family of a child with a catastrophic disability and to start the Auxiliary of the Boone County Sheriff’s Dept.
In the development of The Auxilary of the Boone County Sheriff’s Dept, which the sheriff requested of me, many family members joined to support their loved ones in law enforcement. Money was made and distributed to families who were in bereavement, illness or injury. Monetary support was given to the dept. with the purchase of different needs for equipment. Monetary support was given to “Shop With A Cop”, which benefited children through out the county who would not have had Christmas gifts for their families. We supported 19-20 additional families for Christmas. A program was initiated called “Junior Deputies”, to our amazement we now have over 100 children involved, teaching them about law enforcement, developing a positive rapport between children and law enforcement and promoting good citizenship.
I made a hard working attempt to serve the Lord by being on church council for 14 years and serving as the first female president, a very scary proposition for a church 200 years old. I worked with others who were of great dedication in furthering His work through our hands.
I guess you could say these were “causes” or better say they are passions. As my sons were growing up, I tried to instill in them that it was very important to put something back into the vessel of life and not just continually take out. I guess I felt most humbled when my youngest son, Ryan began a career in law enforcement. One day I asked him why he had chosen to do this since he has degrees in biology and chemistry and could work so many areas and more profitiable careers, his answer was, “Mom aren’t you the one who always said you have to put something back into the pot…this is my way of putting back into the pot”. I realized then that my life of helping others was not a “cause” as generally put, but a “passion” for people and to help in making a difference in society and the lives of other . Now I have passed that torch on to my son who finds helping others a passion and I hear on a daily basis how he is making a difference. I am so proud of the man he has become and his dedication to others. You never know when you will have the opportunity to make a difference in others lives as you walk the same path as your fellow man.
Tina you are making a difference, even though you are young, you have a passion for the lives of others, it is much more than a “cause” it is called it is called sincerity, in essence it is called “LOVE”.