Books 2 Africa

There are so many volunteer opportunities available for anybody who wants to help improve the lives of others. Many times it turns out that the
biggest satisfaction in life lies in helping others. As Booker T. Washington said: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

During February 2008, I had the wonderful privilege of being selected as the 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community High School Honoree for Arkansas.
In addition to a medallion and some prize money, I also received an invitation to spend four days in Washington, D.C. with 101 of my fellow State
Honorees (two Honorees per state, one high school student and one middle level student, plus two students from D.C.). During these four days, I met
the most amazing and inspiring group of young people I could ever hope to meet. Everybody was there for some kind of volunteer activity they were
involved with.

















Above: Mr. Gomez from Prudential, myself, Ms. Garrett, Washington Junior High School Principal, and Ms. Pollreis, WJHS English Instructor and Quiz Bowl sponsor. Mr. Gomez presented me with a
Prudential Spirit of Community Medallion. I received this award in recognition of my first book drive to South Africa.

Listening to everybody sharing their stories was awe-inspiring. The students were all teenagers, yet their youth did not prevent them from doing
astonishing things.

  • I met several cancer survivors, whose bouts with cancer did not break their spirits. After beating cancer themselves, they now use their stories
    of survival to support and encourage other cancer patients.

  • There were students who helped their communities by organizing things such as a table-service soup kitchen, or by supplying diapers and
    support to teenage mothers, or by collecting cat and dog food for Meals on Wheels recipients so that they don’t have to share their own food
    with their pets, or by creating informational websites to help fellow teens cope with typical teenager issues and questions;

  • Others ran lemonade stands to collect money for various causes such as childhood cancer research, or for purchasing and teaching medical
    service dogs to be diabetic alert dogs for kids suffering from diabetes;

  • One student collected more than a 100,000 CD’s and DVD’s for U.S. soldiers serving overseas; while another videotaped war veterans retelling
    their experiences and gave the tapes to the Library of Congress as a way to preserve history for future generations;  

  • Others collected books for various reasons such as creating a lending library at a home for abused and neglected kids, or for supplying books
    to schools in Sri Lanka that were destroyed by the tsunami of 2004;

  • Some collected money to build and repair schools in various African countries, and so it carried on…

You can find all their stories (and many more) on the Prudential Spirit of Community website. I encourage you to read through all of them. It is truly
inspirational.


















Above: Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York was the keynote speaker at the Award ceremony. I had the pleasure of meeting her.  She placed great emphasis on how important a good education is. She
also told us that you do not have to be rich or famous to make a difference in your own community.


I came back a better person. During those four days I saw that you just have to look around you to see where there is a need in the world. Then try
and address that need. I saw a need in South Africa, and I am trying with your help to make a little bit of a difference in that corner of the world. But
you don’t have to look overseas to find something to do. Need is everywhere. Just find something you believe in. Then go out and help bring about
positive change.


Below: Prudential made a Public Service Announcement about volunteerism. It  was aired on various TV stations around the country.