Speaking of being thankful, I am extremely thankful that I was able to ship nine boxes (it was ten, but I managed to rearrange the clothing and fit everything into nine) of your clothing donations to the New York Asian Women's Center! Ms. Turner, the lady I was in contact with there, told me how grateful she was for the donation! Isn't it unbelievable to think that we are changing women's lives?!
As I look back on the entire drive, I can say that I've learned an incredible amount about service. It takes true persistence and determination to reach the point when you've realized that you have done something to help the community and, believe me... it's not an easy task. Having an idea or plan to engage yourself in community service is one thing, but being proactive in your community and acting on that plan or idea is completely different. As I collected the donations and then watched them sit in my house for a month as my high school schedule became chaotic, I couldn't help but realize the impact this drive had on me. I started putting service as a priority in my life in order to accomplish the goal that I had for the Saris for Strength Drive, but I am SO happy that I did. There is no greater feeling in the world, than knowing that you are helping someone, somewhere in the world.
The idea for Saris for Strength came from cleaning out my mother's closet, and as a high school student, I cannot believe that acting on that idea allowed our Indian community in Cedar Falls to help South Asian women in need, who are victims of domestic violence, in Chicago AND New York. This goes to show that service is not an entity limited to adults -- people of all ages can get involved in their community. So, I encourage all of you to pay it forward. Whether you take a couple hours out of your weekend to volunteer at the Food Bank, shovel a neighbor's driveway, or decide to start a drive of your own, remember that you have the ability of make a difference in the world!
Clothes that all of you donated! :)For more information regarding NYAWC, visit: http://www.nyawc.org/index.html
