Monday, February 24, 2014

One Winter NIght

The story for me this year has been two-fold.  I have personally gotten to know a few of our homeless men and heard about their struggles. I wanted to raise awareness for their plights. Plus the actual night that we stay on the street collecting donations I have been touched by the empathy of children who want to help the homeless.  I have to say that those children have had the biggest impact on me.  Last year, one of my preschool students and his family volunteered to stand on the corners with signs asking cars to stop and donate.  I have no idea of their success, but they felt that it was worthy of their time.  They stayed three hours and this was a family of five with the children ranging in age from 3-13!  They even came back this year to volunteer in a different way, but were there nonetheless.  Those parents are really teaching their children the value of helping those less fortunate that you cannot learn in any textbook!

The other child that touched me this year was a boy who later I found out was named Edward.  Edward is eight and not even from Champaign.  He was there with his mother standing on the corner with his sign, too.  Then later he got a big ziplock bag that the participants were given to collect donations and he and his mom walked up and down the sidewalks along Neil.  When I first met Edward he was so proud to tell me that he had about $40!  From then on any money that I collected I waited for Edward to add to his donations!  Eventually, he raised about $100!  That was awesome!  The pride that he showed was the love that he had inside for those that he was trying to help.  About 11:00 he came by my box and asked where the other girls were that had been with me.  I said I didn't know, but that one had already left.  He said that he would then sit and wait for the other one!  I don't know why he wanted to wait, but it was so sweet that he had made friends while collecting. We convinced him that it was a bit chilly to wait and maybe he should turn in his donations as it was getting late! I didn't see Edward any more that night.  But his kindhearted soul and his mother's willingness to follow him as he did what he felt was the most he could do will stay with me. 

It is with Edward's spirit that all of us could bring to life that which can make a difference in anything that we set our sights on.  We don't always have to have the most or be the biggest or be the first.  It's getting out there and just doing what we can with who we are that will make the difference in the lives of others.  And it might just make a change in you, too!

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