An inspiring letter from BeadforLife supporter Geri Strzelecki, Reston, VA:
Dear Patty:
I wanted to share with you my experience with the BeadforLife Curriculum. First, I would like to tell you that our company (Altum) participates in a program called
Smart Sacks. We partner with an organization that provides a sack filled with food to children in a low income area of Maryland who would not have food to eat on the weekends if not for the sacks we give them.
We have come to know and love each one of them. Every year our company takes part in Take Your Child To Work Day. We have the children of our employees (and this year some of the Smart Sacks children) come spend the day with us and we plan a day around the years Take Your Child to Work Day Theme. This year’s theme was: 1 Youth, 1 Dream, 2 Morrows Leader!
Since I am the one who plans the entire day, I racked my brain to think of something to tell them about regarding having a dream and making it come true. We talked about leaders who had a dream, Martin Luther King among them. I asked if they thought you had to be famous to make a difference in people’s lives or can any ordinary person like themselves do something extraordinary. They seemed to think that only famous, rich people could really affect people in profound ways. Then I played the Bead for Life Video! Wow! It was like a light bulb went off. I asked them if they had ever heard of Torkin Wakefield before and they said no. Did she have a dream and lead the way for these women to make better lives for their families? Yes, of course. Is she rich and famous? No. So I ask again do you think one ordinary person like yourself with one dream to help another person can make a difference in so many people’s lives? They could not stop talking about Torkin and what she is doing! We had a long session then about how they thought they could make a difference in someone’s life. I had tears in my eyes as I listened to these k
ids who we give food to on the weekend so they can eat talk about giving some of their food to other people who do not have enough.
So, I wanted to thank you and the BeadforLife Organization for Dreaming Big and Leading the Way for our Youth of Tomorrow. Please know just how many lives you touch through your organization. Keep up the great work you are doing!
PS – We actually rolled beads and made bracelets as well as letting them each choose one made by the women of Uganda. They were thrilled and said they will wear them proudly!
Thank you
Geri
Tags: Africa, BeadCircle, BeadCircle, BeadforLife, Child Poverty, Empowering Women, paper jewelry, Poverty Eradication, Uganda, Volunteer, Women Making A Difference, Youth