Ryan Carp is a committee member on the 2019 Public Relations Committee.
With the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon less than a month away, Carolina For The Kids’ 11 committees are hard at work preparing for the organization’s 24-hour marquee event. However, it is never too early to start planning for the future – specifically, the 2019-20 school year. For any dancers that are interested in joining a CFTK committee next year, we’d like to explore the benefits of being a CFTK committee member, based on the experiences of several current committee members from across Carolina For The Kids.
With the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon less than a month away, Carolina For The Kids’ 11 committees are hard at work preparing for the organization’s 24-hour marquee event. However, it is never too early to start planning for the future – specifically, the 2019-20 school year. For any dancers that are interested in joining a CFTK committee next year, we’d like to explore the benefits of being a CFTK committee member, based on the experiences of several current committee members from across Carolina For The Kids.
There are many reasons why UNC students decide to join a CFTK committee. Sophomore Meighan Parsh, for example, wanted to build upon her past history with related organizations; “my involvement started when I was in eighth grade with my high school's Dance Marathon program,” said Meighan. “I spent multiple years on the board of directors…so I always knew that I wanted to continue in college.” Like Meighan, first-year Nathan Vance felt a deep connection to the cause that Carolina For The Kids advocates for. “I wanted to get involved in any way that I could, and I felt like a committee was the perfect way to do that – allowing me to play to my strengths while achieving a goal bigger than myself or anything that I could provide on my own.”
Nathan’s desire to “play to [his] strengths” reflects one of the core benefits to joining a CFTK committee: the ability to utilize your talents/passions and develop new skills to help the patients and families at UNC Children’s. First-year Tim Lange, for instance, became a member of the Formal Affairs committee (responsible for planning the Benefit Reception and F-Tee-K Golf Tournament) because of its alignment with his skills and experience; “I did a lot of event planning and coordinating with various groups to put on some pretty large events [in high school],” said Tim, “so I thought that my skill set matched what I would be doing as a committee member.” Nathan Vance also joined a committee that aligned with his passions: Hospital and Family Relations. “I knew that I wanted to engage with the community that I was trying to help on a personal level, playing with the kids and building relationships with the families.” For Nathan, “the most fulfilling thing in the world is to see a smile on a kid’s face or to provide comfort to families in need,” which is why he decided to join the CFTK committee that builds relations with families, doctors, nurses, and hospital administration. Carolina For The Kids’ 11 committees span a wide variety of skills and interests, meaning that there will likely be a committee that is right for you.
In addition, joining a CFTK committee deepens your individual level of involvement with Carolina For The Kids, giving you new opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the patients & families we serve. As Tim Lange stated, “being on a committee exposes you even more to some of the ways that [CFTK] benefits the patients and families in the hospital (such as Parents’ Night Out and Pediatric Playroom), and you really develop a personal connection to the cause and the people we benefit.” Being a committee member does require a higher level of commitment and dedication, but with this responsibility comes the reward of seeing your hard work directly impact the patients & families of UNC Children’s – and the Carolina community – over the course of the year.
In addition, joining a CFTK committee deepens your individual level of involvement with Carolina For The Kids, giving you new opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the patients & families we serve. As Tim Lange stated, “being on a committee exposes you even more to some of the ways that [CFTK] benefits the patients and families in the hospital (such as Parents’ Night Out and Pediatric Playroom), and you really develop a personal connection to the cause and the people we benefit.” Being a committee member does require a higher level of commitment and dedication, but with this responsibility comes the reward of seeing your hard work directly impact the patients & families of UNC Children’s – and the Carolina community – over the course of the year.
Lastly, beyond the effect that you can have on CFTK and the cause we represent as a committee member, joining a committee is also an incredibly satisfying personal experience. According to Meighan Parsh, “CFTK has become my second family here at UNC, and I have made so many friends during my time on my committees.” By working together over the course of the school year, committee members form close personal bonds – bonds that are strengthened through the collective experience of the UNC Dance Marathon.
In summary, becoming a Carolina For The Kids committee member is an enriching experience on multiple levels. By joining a CFTK committee, dancers become more deeply involved with Carolina For The Kids and more closely connected to the cause that CFTK represents, all while building relationships that will last a lifetime. Therefore, as you prepare for the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon, keep 2020 in the back of your mind and think about joining a CFTK committee next year!
In summary, becoming a Carolina For The Kids committee member is an enriching experience on multiple levels. By joining a CFTK committee, dancers become more deeply involved with Carolina For The Kids and more closely connected to the cause that CFTK represents, all while building relationships that will last a lifetime. Therefore, as you prepare for the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon, keep 2020 in the back of your mind and think about joining a CFTK committee next year!