What Can You Do in 30 Hours?

Hello, hello, hello!
I have an exciting update! As a resident assistant at my school, part of my job requirements are to run programs that meet different criteria. One of these criteria is to promote citizenship. My big program right now is the 30 hour famine. Now I'm sure that some of you have participated in high school, but have you ever ran it? Because let me tell you, it's not as easy as you'd think. You have to organize everyone's money, get people excited about it, and help motivate people to stick with it.

What makes it even harder is when you, yourself, can't do it.

I'm a Type 1 Diabetic. I have been for almost 19 years. And being a diabetic, going 30 hours without food isn't the best decision, especially when I'm trying to get my numbers under control, so unfortunately, I'm promoting an event that I can't fully support.

But on a positive note, there's quite a few residents who have actually stuck with it, which is awesome! I always feel really proud when the same students you see partying all the time are involved in events like this. It gives me hope that they are actually capable of growing out of this and that they will make a difference one day.

I've noticed that our residence is very determined to make a difference. The following are events and programs that we've run as a team over the past year;

• Build a School for Africa (We're attempting to raise $15000 to do just that. This has been done through events, concerts, and an empties drive. We're doing pretty good!)
• Hope for Haiti (One of the RAs designed a tshirt that has haiti and the word HOPE across it, which we sold across campus. We raised $5000!)
• 30 Hour Famine
• Alternative Spring Break (We've helped build 2 houses, one in Mississippi, one in New Orleans, and went to an orphanage in the Dominican Republic)
• Diabetes Walk for Hope
• One of our RAs has done two 24hr bike rides. The first was for our Africa fund, the second for Haiti. He's a great person!
• Breast Cancer Run
• Earth Hour concert (That'll be described in a later blog!)

That probably isn't all of them, but it's our big ones. I'm so proud to say that I go to this school and that I work with so many amazing people that are out to make a change. They're super supportive people who, like me, still see the wonder in the world.

I hope you are getting involved and making a difference. I know you're capable!
Love always,
Courtney