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St. Teresa’s Academy freshmen Holly Fielder attends Camp Charity to learn about volunteering

For many teens, a Saturday morning consists of one thing: sleep. However, this was not the case for STA freshmen Holly Fielder, who attended Camp Charity Jan. 30 at the Ronald McDonald House to learn about ways she could volunteer in her community.

After hearing about Camp Charity from her grandmother, Holly attended to learn about charitable giving. At the camp, offered through the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, Holly and STA sophomores Lucia Maschler and Jasmine Colhour heard speakers from various organizations discuss their involvement in charities. The camp also featured hands-on activities such as serving lunch to families with ill children staying at the Ronald McDonald House, which provides housing for families who travel to treat their child’s illness or injury.

However, Camp Charity was not Holly’s first volunteer experience. During her seventh and eighth grade years, she volunteered at St. Mary’s Food Kitchen, Operation Breakthrough, which cares for children in poverty, and at Turnstyles, a thrift store owned by Catholic Charities that sells furniture and clothes to over 3,000 customers a week.

“When I went to Turnstyles I was first interested in volunteering, but after going to St. Mary’s Food Kitchen I was really inspired to give back,” Holly said.

‘I love working with kids and food. All the kids in line were so cute, and it felt great to know that we had helped them have at least one decent meal that day.’

Although Holly had volunteered before high school, she feels that STA has encouraged her to get involved in her community.

‘Our motto of serving the dear neighbor without distinction has definitely inspired me to get out there and make a difference in someone’s life,” Holly said. “There are so many charities and opportunities, just figure out what you love to do.’

According to Ms. Debbie Starke, vice president of donor relations and education at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, the foundation designed the camp to encourage families to get involved in philanthropy because many kids think only wealthy adults can give to charity.

‘We always try to let people know that giving back is not just for a few people, but for all of us,’ Starke said. ‘We all have the opportunity to make a difference. Improving the quality of life in our community is something that each of us can do. [We can] each improve it in a different way given our interests and skills.’

Holly’s mom, Ms. Christine Fielder, agrees that charity is for people of all ages, not just for adults.

“Most people do not get into philanthropy until a later age, but Camp Charity introduces students earlier,” Christine said. “The camp even brought in high-schoolers to talk to the students about ways they had become involved in philanthropy. It was neat for them to hear from other teens.”

In the future, Christine hopes her daughter will remember her duty to serve the dear neighbor.

“I just want Holly to keep others’ needs in mind and to remember that she is very blessed,” Christine said. “We all have an obligation to help out.”

What’s up next?

Next Camp Charity: June 12 for three hours

“We really appreciate each of those girls who wants to get involved in their community. The best way to start is in an area that interests you. The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation has information available online to help you find organizations that would be a great fit for you. If you go to our website, you will be able to query for the type of nonprofit organization that may interest you. We have in-depth information about more than 625 area nonprofit organizations.”

Source: Ms. Debbie Starke, vice president of donor relations and education at the Greater kansas City Community Foundation

Spotlight on Fetching Dreams

Fetching dreams, a charity that spoke at Camp Charity, sells dog toys from recycled or discarded fleece and t-shirts to raise money for no-kill animal shelters in Kansas City.

Source: Fetchingdreams.com

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