Top 5 reasons I am thankful for Carolina For The Kids

Ciara Hanlon is a member of the 2015 Carolina For The Kids Publicity Committee

As Thanksgiving break quickly approaches, you may be caught up in midterms, papers, presentations, and homework. You may be anticipating how much turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie you are going to eat over the short break. You may also be coming up with inventive ways to avoid that awkward interactions with family members who always ask, “So, how is college going?” or “What are you planning on doing after graduation?”

Those things aside, on Thanksgiving day you may reflect think to yourself, “What am I thankful for?” This year, one of those things that I am most appreciative of is Carolina For The Kids. There are many reasons as to why I am grateful for this organization, but here are my top five:

1. Joining Carolina For The Kids has allowed me to meet many wonderful new people.

• Joining a committee has connected me with so many new people. I have many new friends that I know will have a smile on their face and a positive attitude to share. Our committee meetings start with a “Why we are here” and each member sharing something positive that we have seen each week. These are my favorite parts of the meeting.

2. Meeting new people has made me more comfortable with new things.

• College can be scary. You are in a new environment and do not necessarily have your high school friends to rely on. Joining clubs and organizations is a great way to meet new people. Unfortunately, being a junior now, this took me too long to realize. I am not going to lie, trying new things is stressful, but in the end, it is worth it. You open up a whole new set of possibilities if you put yourself out there. Even if it is one, seemingly small action, it counts. Carolina For The Kids has offered me a way to do this.

3. Being able to help others is a great way to connect with the community.

• We hear about the “Carolina Way” and community involvement when we first step onto this beautiful campus. It can be too easy to get caught up in all the stress of school and then shut out everything else. The community around us shows tremendous support, and giving back can offer this support to others. Participating in various events with Carolina For The Kids shows you firsthand how simple connections make a huge impact on the lives of the children and families of UNC Children’s. If you help out with Parent’s Night Out, for example, interacting with the parents offers a direct connection with those this organization supports.

4. Joining and becoming a dancer means a 24-hour Dance Marathon.

• Okay, we are college students, of course a party has to be mentioned. What is better than a 24-hour party for a great cause? This year will be my first time participating as a dancer in the 2016 UNC Dance Marathon. Hearing from other members, it is an exciting, fun-filled and rewarding experience. Everyone who has participated in the past talks about it with a huge smile on their face and true encouragement behind them. Being able to help with a great cause with the new friends I have made is simply icing on the cake and a great way to end the school year on a positive note. If you can do something you enjoy and it helps others, then why not join in and dance?

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5. Lastly, and most importantly, it is For The Kids!

• Each meeting, the “Why we are here” reminds me why I joined this organization. Walt Disney said, “Our greatest natural resource is in the minds of our children.” The children of today will be the future generation that may invent new technology, come up with new treatments for illnesses and make changes to our world for the better. These are the people we need to make a difference with. It may sound cheesy, but I am truly thankful for the opportunity to help others with this amazing organization. If I can make one person smile by joining, I will be thankful for that one smile.