The gift Children's Miracle Network Hospitals gave to me
When I was a college freshman, I was simply going through the motions like many of my peers. I would go to class, sleep ( a lot), and even hit the gym sometimes. I was new to UCF's campus, and was just trying to find my place.That lead me to join my school's Student Government Association. Being a part of such a large network of student leaders on campus was great, but what I didn't realize was that joining SGA was my first step in discovering my true passion. You see, that first year I was highly encouraged to participate in our school's largest student-run philanthropy which fundraises money for our local Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. That student-run philanthropy is Knight-Thon, UCF's Dance Marathon. Like many other freshman, I was an expert at procrastinating. It was about a week before the big event, and I realized that I had still not done the fundraising I had set out to do. Many collegiate students can attest to the fact that school life gets chaotic and time seems to slip away from us. I realized at that moment that I was not as knowledgeable as I should have been going into such a big event. Nonetheless, I trudged forward and fundraised the goal that I had set for myself. The day of the Dance Marathon had arrived and I was very excited at the prospect of standing for 20 hours with all of my friends. I was having a wonderful time at my first Dance Marathon, but I was still blissfully unaware of how much of an impact the hospitals we fundraise for make. All I knew was that we were fundraising and standing For The Kids. We were fairly far into the event, when everything clicked. My energy was diminishing when a we were asked to kneel down as a family walked up to the stage to tell their story. This was a miracle family treated by one of the hospitals we benefit. The children who were on stage were both born prematurely and were kept inside incubators in the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit for the first portion of their life. Their dad even described them as being so small that he could fit his wedding band up their legs. It was in that moment that I realized that these kids and so many others are alive and happy because of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. It was an absolutely incredible feeling to know that the UCF Community had come together for such an amazing cause. As tears streamed down my face, something awoke in me. I came to the realization that I want to do anything and everything I can to benefit this amazing organization. Since then, not a day has gone by that I haven't done something For The Kids. Many people go through life never finding their passion. I am so thankful for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals for helping me find mine at such a young age.
http://events.dancemarathon.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donordrive.participant&participantID=59359
http://give.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/
Review from #MyGivingStory