As CFTK members, we take pride in participating in Pediatric Playroom at UNC Children's Hospital. This supervised space in the hospital provides children with games, toys, and crafts to enjoy, especially when being confined to the hospital for extended periods of time.  Children can use this space to find an escape from their stress and boredom. It is crucial to have an outlet to calm or entertain the mind and maintain mental health. 

As college students, we can experience stress and boredom as well, but perhaps in different ways. Regardless of the stressors in our lives, there is a fun and creative way to find a little escape: DIY (Do It Yourself) stress balls! You can make them for yourself or others, maybe as a gift for this holiday season! You could even make stress balls for the children you will meet when you participate in Pediatric Playroom! Stress balls for everyone! 

The creation process is easy, accessible, and affordable. There are also endless ways to design your stress ball so it can fit any unique personality! Here is a very helpful guide for creating a very helpful stress ball!

What You Will Need:

• A balloon
• A funnel
• A 2 lb. (or larger) bag of all purpose flour 
• A measuring cup
• Colored sharpies (optional)
  
  

Directions:

1. Blow up your balloon and let the air blow back out. This allows the balloon to stretch out some.
   
   
2. Stick the narrow part of the funnel into the neck of the balloon.
   
   
3. Use the measuring cup to add flour to the funnel, slowly filling the balloon with flour. If the balloon clogs up, use your finger to push the flour into the balloon and clear the opening.
   
   
4. When the balloon is filled until right below the neck, stop adding flour and carefully let out any extra air from inside the balloon.
   
   
5. Tightly tie the neck of the balloon.
   
   
6. Enjoy your new stress ball! If you want, use different colored sharpies to decorate it!
   
   

We hope that this activity allows you to take a break from studying and focus your attention on something that calms you and fuels your creativity. It may be difficult to step away from important assignments, but studies have shown that regular breaks will actually increase your potential for success. Maybe getting your creative juices flowing will even inspire your next project! So next time you are feeling overwhelmed during an extended study period, stick to this stress ball protocol! 

Chloe Yopp is a member of the 2020 Public Relations committee.

Last week was dancer recruitment week so you know what that means…it’s time to get HYPE about the marathon! Now I know what you’re all thinking, yeah I’m excited for the dance marathon, and of course I want to help the patients and families at UNC Childrens, but how in the world am I going to raise all that money? Well don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are five quick and easy ways to raise your $200 in no time (and maybe even have some fun while doing it :))

1. Social Media BINGO (and other various social media endeavors)

​Everyone loves a good Instagram Story post and everyone loves playing games. Combine the two and what do you have? A great way to raise money FTK. Create a bingo board with totals ranging from $1-$5 and post it on social media with your Venmo username. Once one friend donates and everyone else sees, you’ll have raised money FTK in no time :)

2. Volunteer at Athletic Events

A couple days before Halloween, I went in to a Michael’s Craft Store looking for the finishing touches to my Halloween costume. To my surprise, it was easier to find gingerbread house kits and mistletoes than an angel halo headpiece or a fake pumpkin. The holiday spirit is so joyous, but what happened to the day where you surround yourself with the people you love the most and stuff your face with so much food until you go into a food coma?

Sometimes we get too caught up in the fast-paced world we live in. It is really hard to just take a moment and enjoy everything at your disposal. Rather than looking at Thanksgiving as a reference point to the upcoming holiday season or looking forward to Thanksgiving because you know Black Friday follows, we should continue to cherish the importance of this holiday and use it as a time to pause and reflect.

Thanksgiving is a time where one can be around their family and reflect on everything they’re grateful for. It is a time to acknowledge the smallest details that keep our lives going. 
There are so many times when I see college students, myself included, getting too caught up in the craziness of our daily lives, and we begin to complain and take things for granted. More often times than not we forget about how fortunate we are to simply be at college. I wanted to find more ways to express my gratitude and give back to the less fortunate.

There are a number of kids at UNC Children’s who simply are not well enough to travel home to spend Thanksgiving with their families or whose families do not have the funds to visit them at the hospitals for Thanksgiving. Although CFTK is able to assist some families in reuniting with one another for the holiday, there remain a number of families who are unable to all get together. So rather than referring to Thanksgiving as the holiday that gets us one step closer to Winter Break or stressing out because there will be so much finals studying, sit back and appreciate all of the things that got you to where you are today. Say thank you to the person that holds the door for you; call your parents and tell them you love them; if you are able to travel home for Thanksgiving break, appreciate that you have the means to do this; tell your friends how grateful you are. There are so many ways and opportunities to express gratitude, so use Thanksgiving as the day to really start doing so.

With Thanksgiving nearing, and the holidays coming up around the corner, there is a certain sense of generosity in the air. This sentiment coincides perfectly with Giving Tuesday, an opportunity to embrace generosity and all the good that it can accomplish. 

Giving Tuesday is a movement that occurs the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, typically the last Tuesday in November, but occasionally occurs in early December, as it does this year on December 3rd. 

Giving Tuesday was initially started in 2012 as a backlash to consumerism in the midst of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The organizations who started it, 92 Street Y and the United Nations Foundation, wanted to shift the focus of the holidays towards the idea of giving more, rather than the ever-increasing stress and consumerism that often takes over during this time of year. 
The movement is intended to create an international day of charity and giving to start the holiday season off on a more positive note. Popularity for this idea has risen over the years, establishing it as an annual tradition for many. 

With this positive spirit, it can be a good idea to think about which charity you might consider supporting! If you haven't found an organization to help celebrate this movement, we hope that Carolina for The Kids might catch your eye. 
The money we receive goes to the families of patients at UNC Children’s. Whether your heart resides with our organization or another, don’t miss out on embracing the spirit of giving during the most wonderful time of the year!
We’re celebrating Giving Tuesday by giving back to the patients and families at the local children’s hospital. Each Tuesday night, we serve meals in the hospital in our Parent’s Night Out program so that families don’t have to leave their child’s bedside to eat dinner - and Giving Tuesday is no exception. 

This just goes to show there’s more ways to give back than simply donating cash. The spirit of Giving Tuesday is all about giving back to the community, no matter where that is or how you do it. All that matters is that you’re making the world a little bit brighter in whatever way you can, and that’s what the holiday season is really all about.

Kalina MacKay is the 2020 Public Relations Chair

This weekend, we are launching our first ever fall fundraising campaign, F10K. We’re striving to raise $10,000 during the three days of homecoming weekend through benefit nights at local restaurants, canning at athletic events, and individual dancer fundraising. But to me, this weekend means so much more. 

I think it’s so easy for us to get lost in the numbers of a fundraising campaign like this, but F10K is symbolic of much more than the average fundraising campaign. F10K is an opportunity for all of us to take a breath and remember why we’re here - why we’re dedicating hours on end on top of our already busy lives to attend cannings, send countless emails, go to meetings, and paint posters.

The true reason why over 200 undergraduates at UNC all banned together this semester on 11 different committees and joined this organization is as simple as our organization’s slogan: for the kids. Those three words are more meaningful than I can begin to describe, and they share a special sense of inspiration for everyone involved in our organization.  

This weekend is a chance for all of us to come together and remember that slogan that drives all of our efforts. 
The average child goes to school and does their homework each weeknight. They go to sleep at bedtime and count down the seconds until the bell rings at Friday setting them free. For the three days of the weekend, kids are allowed to be kids. They get a break from the stressful day-in and day-out routine of school and work and get to just relax.

Kids at the hospital are not as fortunate. For 24 hours each day, they are fighting for their lives. They have no weekend to look forward to where they’ll get to go to the playground and blow off some steam. All day, every day is consumed by their illness, and sickness knows no weekends. 

That is the root of our F10K campaign. We are not mindlessly collecting money for some obscure foundation. We are banding together to make real change in the world. This campaign is a reminder of our overall mission, to allow kids in the hospital to be kids. 

As a group of undergrads at UNC, we may not be able to cure disease (yet), but we certainly can make a difference in the world. We can hope for a better future, and do everything in our power to achieve that. If we can take the patients of UNC Children’s’ minds off their suffering and allow them to be a child for just one moment, we have achieved our goal. 
In this weekend long fundraising campaign, we hope to give the children at the hospital their weekends back. No child or family should ever have to fight alone. Whether it’s through funding research grants that will change their future or volunteering in the Pediatric Playroom to temporarily distract from the pain, we are determined to make a difference.

At the end of the day, $10,000 will change so many lives. It will provide over 1,400 hot meals to parents in the hospital who don’t want to leave their child’s bedside, even if it’s to feed themselves. But no matter how much we raise, this campaign is a step in the right direction to joining the fight against childhood sickness. 

We invite all past and present Tar Heels to join us in our F10K campaign on October 25 - 27. For live updates and a full breakdown of the schedule, visit our Facebook event page. 

Thank you to the Chapel Hill community and beyond for continuously supporting our organization. Here’s to the children and their families served by UNC Children’s, together we will give them their weekends back.

Cheryl Phillips is the 2019 Newsletter Subchair

Carolina for the Kids recently held our 8th annual Kilometers for the Kids, and it was a huge success! We had 470 runners, which included UNC students, alumni, and others from our broader community. Among the special guests in attendance was Kevin Guskiewicz, the University of North Carolina Interim Chancellor! All of the funds raised at this event go to continue providing support for the patients and families at UNC Children’s.

We caught up with one of the participants before the race to capture the perspective of a runner and their pre-race mindsets. Andrew Guiteras lives in the local community and had never competed in KFTK, but was excited for the opportunity to participate for what he considered an awesome cause. When asked about the mission of CFTK, Guiteras explained that he was grateful to have two happy and healthy kids, one of which previously received an operation at UNC Childrens. He described them as a place that “does good work”, and said that he is “happy to support an organization that supports [the hospital]”. Spoiler alert, Guiteras went on to win in his age division!

KFTK does a great job of reminding us why we are here and why we do what we do. The impact that the families at UNC Children’s feel is immeasurable, and seeing so many smiling faces on a bright Sunday morning is an awesome reminder of the supportive community that surrounds this organization.

We want to say thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, to anyone who came out to run in KFTK or showed support in any other way as well. All of us from Carolina for the Kids are so appreciative of you and the heart that we all share FTK.

Cheryl Phillips is the newsletter sub-chair for the PR committee

KFTK is a 5k race that raises funds in support of the children and families of NC Children’s Hospital. If you heard the word “race” and immediately turned your ears away, turn them back because I have a few reasons that will make you want to join in on the fun of KFTK! There is something for everyone at this event, whether you are a seasoned marathon runner or have never set foot on a treadmill.

1) Food

Our Sponsorship and Development committee works to ensure that there is plenty of tasty and filling food before and after the race. So come by early and grab a bagel, some coffee, and get ready to take on the 3.1 miles with your family and friends.

2) 1-Mile Fun Run

This shorter run takes place around the quad of McCorkle place. This is a perfect, shorter path for kids (or anyone who just does not want to tackle the whole 5k). It even has “fun” in the name, so it is undeniably going to be a perfect way to kick off your Sunday morning.

3) Superheroes and Princesses

Yes, you read that right. KFTK has earned the support of our Kid Co Captain’s favorite characters, including princesses that came out in 2018 alongside our KCCs. Some of our runners get into the spirit of fun even more, running in superhero capes as a reminder of the hero in us all and the difference we can make through KFTK.

4) The Most Beautiful Campus Ever

KFTK takes place across the campus of UNC. Start and end at the Old Well for a picture perfect finish that simply cannot be beat. Throughout the run, there are beautiful sights all around, including the bell tower, the Carolina Inn, and even our awesome athletic facilities and stadiums. You won’t want to miss a second of it.

5) Furry Friends Invited Too!

We invite all of your friends and family to come out and join, even your furry family members! Dogs of all shapes and sizes can be spotted around the campus on Sunday morning, and who doesn’t love to start off their morning with a sweet puppy face?

So know that you know of all the awesome perks of KFTK, what are you waiting for? I speak for the entire CFTK family when I say that we can’t wait to see you out there on Sept. 22! Sign up today.

Cheryl Phillips is the Newsletter Subchair on the Public Relations Committee

Carolina for the Kids plays a huge role in the lives of the people involved in this organization. The work that is done to recruit members, organize a dance marathon, and stay true to the mission of supporting families and patients takes a lot of effort, but also teaches us so many useful life skills. 

The patients and families of UNC Children’s are not the only ones benefited by our work. We, the students, get a lot out of giving back. This organization is an opportunity for us to gain real world experience in turn teaching us things a classroom can’t. On top of the rewards of giving back and meeting friends, CFTK builds invaluable character and leadership skills. 

Many CFTK members have had the chance to work a summer internship closely related to experience that they gained through working with CFTK. Mckenna Ritter, a member of the Public Relations committee, has been working as a Development Intern at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, assisting with donor relations, nonprofit management, and other media and development areas. She says that her experience with CFTK has no doubt played a role in her attaining this position and being able to do effective work this summer. 

While no one wants to even think about graduation and leaving this incredible school, some committee members have talked about the role that CFTK played in their getting a job after graduating. Marissa Devine was not only a Public Relations committee member, but also the Publicity chair for the 2018-2019 school year. She gained great leadership experience and learned about effective group-work through her CFTK experience, and is now working in New York as part of a marketing team for Deloitte.

In Marissa’s own words, “The amount of skills that I’ve gained from CFTK is unfathomable: leadership, teamwork, flexibility, time management, and organization...every one of these skills that I’ve gained from CFTK has been pivotal for my career”. 

Through time in CFTK as a committee member, subchair, or executive board member, our members are a part of a larger purpose and gain an understanding of what it means to work with so many amazing people to achieve great things.

If you’re interested in getting involved, apply to join one of our eleven committees tailored to your interests here or email info@carolinaftk.org for more details.

Sara Hall is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

On March 22 and 23, Carolina For The Kids stood for 24 hours in solidarity with the families and patients of UNC Children’s. These 24 hours of no sitting and no sleeping were a culmination of our year-long fundraising efforts, and we were so lucky to have hundreds of dancers join us.

From watching exceptional performances from some of our Kid Co-Captains  to listening to the lasting impact that CFTK has had on the families of UNC Children’s, these dancers were able to interact first-hand with the individuals who they were standing for.

Carolina For The Kids could not be more grateful for the support we’ve received throughout the year. To our committee members, our dancers, our sponsors, our volunteers and the countless individuals who donated: Thank you! This year would not have been the success that it was without your help. We were able to raise an amazing $440,955.07 that will go toward supporting families and patients in more ways than we can count. We are truly one of the luckiest organizations because we were given the opportunity to work with such incredible individuals. We are so proud of everything accomplished this year, and we cannot wait to see what next year and the 22nd Marathon will hold for us!