This Is Why I Volunteer Every Year

These faces are the reason I volunteer.

I am no saint, let's be clear.  

At 5:45 AM yesterday morning when the alarm went off,

it crossed my mind that I didn't want to go.

I wanted to go back to sleep and spend the day doing what I "needed" to do.

But my commitment to friends and the school pulled me out of the bed

and out the door by 6:15 AM.

It is my firm belief that EVERY child, no matter what their 

ethnic background, socio-economic status, home life, living conditions, etc. are,

DESERVE a school they can be proud of and find as a sanctuary of learning.

They DESERVE a school in top working order that is aesthetically pleasing.

They DESERVE to have the equipment and supplies they need to learn.

They DESERVE to be loved and understood by staff and the community.

They DESERVE a safe place to play away from the danger on the streets.

They DESERVE all of that, but that doesn't mean it is in the city budget to give them that.

That is where we step in.

Keller Williams and RED Day's mission is to give back to the community

and make dreams come true.

We want to leave the world a better place than we found it in,

and in this case, it was an inner city school.

We want to help create a public school where nearly 500 elementary students 

can grow, learn, socialize, and play

in a safe, aesthetically pleasing atmosphere that they are proud to go to every day.

Why?

Because every child on this planet DESERVES no less.

So all of those things I "needed" to do that were running through my mind

when I opened my eyes so early that morning...

yeah, all of those things could wait.

These smiling faces and open hearts could NOT.

So glad I went because I believe my soul was touched by them 

more deeply than theirs was by us.

xo