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© 2007 Melody Schmidt Now that the holiday season is approaching, I can't help but think how lucky I am. This is a time of the year when people are especially generous, and many drives are organized to help those in need. I did something similar in February of 2007, for my Girl Scout Silver Award. In case you don't know, the Silver Award is the second highest award a Girl Scout can earn and it requires at least forty hours of community service. In November of 2006, I read an article stating that some girls weren't able to attend prom because they couldn't afford to buy the dresses and shoes. This broke my heart, because I know how crazy girls are about prom. I'm only a freshman, and my friends already know what kind of dress they want to get! I organized a drive at my Cotillion where I would collect fancy dresses, shoes, purses, accessories, and unopened makeup. I would donate my proceeds to underprivileged high school girls, so that they could have an unforgettable prom night. My drive had an extremely poor turnout. I spent hours at my collection table and for all my efforts, I had a whopping eleven dresses and three pairs of shoes. I must admit I was slightly discouraged, but I didn't give up. I planned another collection at my church. This time, I advertised in the church bulletin, passed out fliers, gave speeches and even had an article in the local newspaper. At the collection held at my church, I collected almost 200 dresses! I also received over 30 pairs of shoes, numerous purses and accessories. My efforts paid off big time! I sorted through all of the items at my house, and I was amazed by how generous everyone was. I received several brand new dresses with hundred-dollar price tags, and a Louis Vuitton bag stuffed with new Estee Lauder makeup. The dresses were so gorgeous, I was a little jealous. When I called the Toberman Settlement House in San Pedro, the place that I was planning on sending my donations to, they were speechless. I couldn't blame them; I was still amazed by how many donations I had received. It took close to an hour just to load the car with all the items I received. The donations just barely fit in the trunk. We all had boxes and bags on our laps as well. When we got there, the only room big enough to properly store everything was their thrift shop. The donations took up almost half of the shop. I saw some of the girls pick out the dresses and shoes. They had smiles on their faces. I know the dresses will go to great use. Not all of the dresses were used for prom this year, but I was told that the rest would be used for events such as formals, or the prom of 2008. All of the employees at the settlement house know me as the "prom dress girl." I have received many photos of the girls wearing the dresses. They all looked beautiful and happy. We have been there several times after, and every time I am graciously thanked. This was definitely the most rewarding experience of my life. My sister is doing something similar this year for her Silver Award. She is hosting a collection of clothing, shoes, and luggage to donate to teenage girls in foster care. Children in foster care own very little. When they move from home to home, many carry their few belongings in trash bags. So far, my sister has collected 14 large moving boxes full of clothes and more than 70 pieces of luggage. I am thrilled to know that I already helped over a hundred girls go to prom, and more will benefit from my efforts in the future. At the time of the project I was only twelve years old, and in the beginning I wasn't sure that a kid could pull this off. All you need is a plan, good energy and some encouragement. I realized that you are never too young or too old to make a difference in someone's life. This holiday season, we should all look beyond our own needs and do what we can to help others. |