Aqua Zumba for ALS

A man in my neighborhood growing up had ALS.  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease," is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. .  It was heart wrenching as an outward observer to see how quickly he declined before he passed away.  I have also known of other people with ALS and am aware of how devastating this disease is.

My mom was already helping her friend, Masuda Medcalf, with her Aqua Zumba fundraising event on 4/25 when Masuda asked if I might be willing to make an appearance at the event.  I asked her if, by chance, any youth had registered to participate because YOUTH CAN SERVE EVERYWHERE and I was hoping that some would be at Aqua Zumba for ALS! She said some had registered so I was even more excited to participate.

In hindsight, I should have brought a bathing suit! Aqua Zumba is perfect- you zumba in the water so even if you aren't a great dancer, no one notices!

They had 16 instructors at the event and about 70 participants!

I was able to share a little bit about my personal experience with ALS and thank all the participants, volunteers and instructors.  Wow - what energy at that pool and all for a great cause!!

Visit and Delivery to Shriners Hospital

After spending time at Silver Mesa, Peruvian Park, Neil Armstrong Academy and the Activity Day girls, I had LOTS of donations for Shriners hospital.  The back of the car was full!  Several boxes of great toys and books!  A huge stack of cards! Gift Bags! and Blankets!  I was so proud to represent all the wonderful youth who served with their talents and their resources to help make another child in the hospital have a brighter day!

My wonderful guy, Nick Nielson, joined me at Shriners and helped get all the donations into Shriners.

I was hoping to actually help deliver the toys and cards to the children, but due to privacy laws needed to leave them at the front desk.  I was assured, however, that they would DEFINITELY be given to the children and put to great use. In fact, they expected to give them out that day! 

I really didn't know much about Shriners hospital for children except that they provided service to children with no consideration as to whether or not the service can be paid for.  I love that about Shriners!  I also was so grateful to take the cards and donations to Shriners as I feel it is often overlooked as most service for children's hospitals in Utah goes to Primary Children's Hospital (don't get me wrong, I love Primary Children's hospital and volunteered there weekly for 6 months in 2013 and 2014).  

Wow - did I learn a LOT about Shriners, however, from the personal tour they provided me!  I didn't realize that the Shriners organization founded the hospitals in response to polio after WWII.  I also learned how generous donors are to allow them to provide all the services they make available to patients.  They have a beautiful facility.  I didn't realize that they focus on orthopaedic conditions here in Salt Lake City.  And, that they have many patients from out of state and from Mexico.  (In fact, as we walked around the hospital, I met two children and their mother's from Mexico and had a chance to brush up on my spanish while speaking with them!).

I love that they have personalized, sized to fit prosthetics for the children and that they have custom, sized to fit wheel chairs for them as they grow.

As I am studying to be a nurse myself, I not only toured the facility thinking of the children and the great services provided, but also of the caregivers and the great love they have for children.  I met many amazing caregivers on the tour!

Shriners is another organization to consider as you look for places to serve.  I love that their mission for children "is carried out without regard to race, color, creed, sex or sect, disability, national origin or ability of a patient or family to pay."

http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/

Neil Armstrong Academy

When I switched schools in 4th grade from Waterford to Oakridge, my 4th grade teacher was Mrs. Smith.  She was an amazing teacher - very loving and interested in her students.  It was very difficult switching schools, but without Mrs. Smith, my year would have been impossible!

She is no longer at Oakridge, but she and Mrs. Rolan (from Oakridge) had the great opportunity to be 2nd grade teachers at a NEW, INCREDIBLE elementary school, Neil Armstrong Academy!  Let me tell you, I wish elementary schools were like this when I was in elementary school - iPads for all the students, beautiful open school design with so many windows, a greenhouse that is utilized by all the students, and the library would be a definite favorite spot!

I was able to meet with both Pam Smith's class as well as Jan Rolan's class while at Neil Armstrong Academy. 

In Mrs. Smith's class - I wore a microphone as we talked about service.  They also had their school administration in the room filming the event.

The kids were so excited to brainstorm ideas for service.  They paid great attention to everything I said (that crown does create an aura :)).

Their cards for Shriners hospital were fabulous! Mrs. Rolan's class even made pop-up cards - talk about creative!!

I got the hugs and high fives at the end of each class as they gave me their great card creations in exchange for autograph cards.  One girl embraced me and told me, "I want to be just like you when I grow up".  What a kind thing to say - and helped me know how much of a role model I am for these kids as I visit them as Miss Utah International! I was very humbled by the comment and touched!

I can't wait to visit Neil Armstrong Academy again!  Keep those Handz doing good!

Peruvian Park AFTERNOON kindergarten

After a quick bite to eat and a change of clothes - I went back to Peruvian Park to meet with the afternoon kindergarten class.  There is only one class in the afternoon so a smaller group of children.

These kids were also so cute.  It is fun to see their personalities! One student told me that he was in the hospital recently for a burn so he could really understand how the kids at Shriners hospital felt.  Another child's parent was a doctor and shared all about how he goes to the hospital all the time.

I shared stories of my service background and a girl from India really got excited when I told them I had made kits for children in India!

Almost every child in this afternoon class brought a donation for Shriners hospital - they are clearly catching the vision of service!

Again, they drew great cards and were so excited to use their handz for good this week!

Lots of hugs from these cute kids!

Peruvian Park Elementary

My amazing neighbor, Chris Bond, was my piano teacher when I began piano at age 3.  She is a great friend and advocate.  And...she is is a fabulous Kindergarten teacher!

I had the opportunity to visit the kindergarten classes at Peruvian Park on April 11th.  In the morning there were two classes that came together to hear about using their handz for good!

They had great ideas of things they could do for good with their hands - walk a dog, pick up trash, write a letter to grandma....

They promised to do something good with their hands in the next week!  One boy wrote on his hand that he promised to "Love Lexy" and gave me a string of beads!

They brought toys and books for Shriners hospital.  

They made cards for the children at Shriners.

Their teacher, Chris Bond, shared a touching story of a girl who missed out on many activities during the summer as she went to Shriners to have a leg gradually lengthened.  This really helped the kids understand how hard it would be to need to be in the hospital.

The kids all gave me a hug or high-five and took an autograph card home to use to access thehandz4service.org resource.

I even got to see the kids to the door as we waited for parent pick up!

It is so fun to see kids catch the vision of doing good for others....

Granite Technical Institute Blood Drive

As a high school student, I had the great opportunity of enrolling in classes at Granite Technical Institute (GTI)!  I took anatomy, medical terminology and had the great experience of participating in the Pharmacy Technician program.  I was able to obtain my Pharmacy Technician license after the GTI program and love the skills and job opportunities I received as a result!

On April 11, GTI held a blood drive.  I visited with students participating in the blood drive.

  

Giving blood is a great gift which helps medical needs of so many!  I loved spending time with these students who were so willing to give of themselves and share their blood.  

Giving blood is a GREAT way for youth to serve! 

Days For Girls

In Fall of 2013, my mom told me a bit about the Days for Girls organization after she'd heard about it from a friend.

I was really excited about the organization and its purpose - but not nearly as impacted and connected to it as I was after I went to a meeting on April 10th in Orem, Utah where the founder, Celeste Mergens, was present.

I loved the story that Ann Lewis, the Utah Valley Chapter of Days for Girls, shared for the group.  She said for everyone to imagine that we were going to a camp in the desert for a month.  We could only have what they could carry in - including water.  A tent would already be there. We could take just two changes of clothing.  But no problem, everyone was in the same situation.  When we had our monthly period, we could just go wait in the tent (no problem that it is only 20 degrees hotter in there) with the other women having their period until the cycle was over and then we could go back outside and spend time with the rest of the group.  We could wash after the menstrual cycle but needed to use the same water we had carried in for drinking.

Wow - what a powerful visual... and THIS is what so many women throughout the world experience EVERY MONTH!  EVERY MONTH girls miss school to stay at home because they are having their period.  EVERY MONTH women have to stay home from work for a week while they menstruate. 

Celeste shared with me the story of how she started Days for Girls.  She shared that she was in another country providing service and bringing them cook stoves that allowed them to cook a staple in their diet without spending all their resources on wood to burn in a fire.  After she had gone home, she wrestled with the knowledge that she needed to help them more.  After prayer, she received the inspiration that she needed to find out what they were doing for their feminine supplies.  To her sheer horror, she learned that in the orphanage, girls were given a piece of cardboard and sat on their bunk for the week of their period.  Since they weren't eating much, they didn't need to go to the bathroom much.  During additional international trips, she learned that girls were often taken advantage of by teachers in exchange for feminine products so they could stay in school.  Women who sold crafts on the beach were so grateful when they were pregnant because then they could keep working instead of needing to take a week off to menstruate.  

And here, in America, we take it for granted that we can buy feminine products in a box.  They are disposable.  We can get them anywhere.  Being a female has zero impact on our ability to attend school or to work.  Our opportunities are not limited by our gender.  Not so in many, many other places in the world.

I am so impressed with Days for Girls and their mission.  In fact, I wanted to change my whole platform and focus for my year as Miss Utah International to focus on Days for Girls.  We need girls to stay in school.  We can break the poverty cycle by keeping girls in school and at work.

ANYONE can volunteer and help with Days for Girls.  They need supplies for their kits - you can purchase supplies, and/or make supplies.  Youth and adults can really make a difference in the world through Days for Girls. Donating and sponsoring are also ways to help. 

If you are looking for a place to make a difference - check out Days for Girls!

I am looking forward to the next chance I have to meet with a group making kits for Days for Girls and I hope that I will have the opportunity to be involved in delivering kits internationally with this organization.

Every Girl.  Everywhere.  Period.

check out their website:

http://www.daysforgirls.org/