Giving Back

Volunteering became my passion the summer of my sophomore year of high school. This is one activity that I have fallen in love with and I am always looking for new projects. Volunteering is such a rewarding experience for both parties involved. I get more out of giving than the people/animals I am helping. I love the reaction I get when the final results are done. With the hours I have logged over the years I have learned many important reminders and advice. I know these humbling experiences will provide a much needed outlook on life. I would like to share a few of my favorite organizations to volunteer with/for.


Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation

•   This is where my passion for working with kids who have pediatric cancer sprouted. I like to call this the catalyst that started my volunteering. This organization is founded in memory of Alexandra "Alex" Scott, who was diagnosed with nueroblastoma right before her first birthday. Around four years old when Alex was in the hospital, her goal was to host a lemonade stand when she was healthy again. Sure enough her lemonade stand raised over $2,000, which she donated back to her hospital. News began to spread about Alex and her accomplishment, that by the age of eight, she had raised more than one million dollars for the disease that took her life. After Alex's passing, her family created the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation to keep her legacy.

•   The best part about this foundation is that you can host your own lemonade stand to help the fight against pediatric cancer. ALSF will send you a package of all the needed supplies to host your lemonade stand. Another option is to host an online fundraiser, which also benefits research for pediatric cancer.

•   Click HERE if you would like to get involved and host your own fundraiser.

•   Click HERE to check out Alex's parents' blog.

•   Click HERE to learn more about this foundation.

DoSomething.org

•   This website is full of campaigns you can join to volunteer for causes around the world. There are so many options which is one of the main reasons I love this website. There are many different causes, types of projects and all around good ideas to better our world. This website consists of four million volunteers who are volunteering to help the world "suck less." Through this website, I kicked off one of my biggest fundraisers after my sophomore year. This campaign was the "Oklahoma Tornado Relief Campaign," in which I gathered 60+ pounds of school supplies and super hero capes to the children affected by the tornadoes in Oklahoma. I encourage you to check out this phenomenal website and see what all the hype is about.

•   This website is extremely easy to navigate and easy to sign up for (It's free).

•   Click HERE to check out all the awesomeness.

•   Click HERE to see my favorite current campaign. 

Love Your Melon

•   Love your melon is a foundation that also benefits children who are battling cancer. Two students at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota founded it in 2012. In 2014 its founders went across the country spreading the word of what their foundation was about. This created the "Love Your Melon Ambassadors" which are students who help spread the mission and organization in their own city, community, campus or school. These students help get hats donated to children with cancer and also sell hats to fund this foundation. This organization's mission is to donate a hat to every child battling cancer in America. To date they have donated 45,000 hats to children. They are able to do this because others are purchasing their products. Each year 15,000 children are affected by a cancer diagnosis.

•   If you know a child who has been affected by cancer and would like to request for them to receive a hat click HERE.

•   If you would like to search their wonderful products which include many different types of hats (my favorite is their purple beanie), sweatshirts, shirts, bags and accessories (my favorite in which I have is the Love Your Melon gray headband) and help their cause click HERE.

•   Click HERE to check out their blog!

I hope you all check out these organizations and love them as much as I do. Did you purchase a beanie from Love Your Melon? Are you going to run your own lemonade stand? Participate in a campaign at DoSomething.org? How are you going to leave your legacy????

It is more blessed to give than receive. -Acts 20:35

Lots of Love,

Alaskan Courage Series

This past New Year I made multiple resolutions and have successfully kept them. One resolution I made was to read a book a month. To some people this doesn't sound like much, but I rarely make time to shut out the world and read. This helps me relax and essentially takes me to a different world. This summer I visited our local Barnes & Noble and searched for a perfect series to gorge myself over. After browsing the teen section and only finding books about science fiction, vampires, and books I wasn't interested in. I moved on over to the Christian fiction section and found exactly what I was looking for. I found a series called the Alaskan Courage series. It combines mystery, love and spreading God's word, all into a series of books. Another reason they interested me is because I was visiting Alaska this summer. I would recommend this book series to those who like many different types of books and would also like to experience Christ. These books present real world issues that are relatable to everyday people. The characters in the book often turn to Christ to help resolve their problems. Granted, these are easy reads and I tend to finish them quickly, they are still a series that I can't put down. If you are like me and don't enjoy the typical "teen" books I highly recommend this series!

Click Here if you are interested in purchasing or reading more about this series!

For you are my hiding places; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. The Lords says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." -Psalm 32:7-8

Lots of Love,

Distance

This year I have been blessed with the opportunity to experience a long distance relationship. Most would not call this a blessing, but for 6 months it has showed me how to make a relationship work no matter the circumstances. Even though we aren't in the ideal situation, we make it work. This distance is short term,but most days it doesn't feel like it. For those who have experienced this you know how hard some days can be. We aren't only fighting the distance, we are also fighting the situation of having little to no contact with each other. This is difficult as there is so much I want to share with him and let him be a part of. This blessing in fact has only made us stronger. It had showed us what our relationship can withhold and how much we mean to each other. It has taught us to be a couple and work together, but how also to be an individual. It is okay to feel alone sometimes, but know they are probably feeling the same thing. Just know that the distance means nothing in the end if you really care about one another. The hug you receive after your time of waiting makes you forget you ever lived without them, it is so worth it. If you are serious about making it the work, you can and will. Distance is only a matter of what you make it. 

The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another's sight. 

-Genesis 31:49 

Lots of Love,