December is a magical month. It starts the countdown to Christmas and Winter Break. It starts the countdown to being able to sleep in, in our warm beds while chilly winds and snow flurries blow. But to the students of Enloe High, December is not just a month of receiving gifts from friends and loved ones; it is a month where we give to the people in our community, to those we know and those we don’t. We give more than we receive. We give love and hope to those in need. Ponder this: while we’re waiting for our stockings to be filled with gifts our Christmas tree to be overflowed with candy canes and ornaments, think about those who will not be able to celebrate Christmas. They can only fulfill one of the many basic needs of life, whether it be food, shelter, electricity or warmth, and giving gifts this holiday season is not even close to reaching the top of this list. That’s why to the students of Enloe High School, December starts the countdown to Charity Ball, the moment of the check reveal, and most importantly, seeing our money work its magic on those who would otherwise have to shiver in the cold, hungry, tired, and hopeless, so that they too, can spend Christmas with their family under a warm roof, not having to worry about their next meal but rather how they can enjoy this holiday season.
Studying abroad in Germany, I have been able to see another side of the story. As I shared our main events and achievements to the Student Council at my German host school, I came across the topic of Charity Ball. This overflowed me with bittersweet emotions as I shared Charity Ball’s mission, who and how we help give back to our community. As I changed to the slide that recounted the achievements of Charity Ball 2015, it struck me. It struck the 70 to 80 student representatives in the room. It struck the Student Council advisors. They could not believe their eyes. $118,000. Suddenly, the room was filled with confused faces that later transformed into a sense of awe. They told me that they used to marvel at being able to pull together $200 in donations for school events, let alone the amount of money I had written on the board. $118,000 was completely off their charts. I was later intrigued as to why their Student Council finds it so hard to obtain funds and donations from members of their community. They simply said that donating is not a norm here. Charities are not brought to the forefront as one of the main issues. This is when I was able to truly realize what we mean when we say Charity Ball is only made possible with the support of our community leaders. Without them, $120,000 is unattainable. We need all the donations we can get from neighbors, companies, friends, family, anyone and everyone reachable from all lands.
Being on council last year, I felt I could truly share in the excitement during the check reveal, the tears were tears of joy and hard work paying off. I could finally say that I helped us attain our goal through adding in a portion of donations. That is why I am doing exactly that this year again. Even though I am physically in Germany, the power of Charity Ball has no limits. I have still been able to reach out to community leaders on a daily basis. Donations are now able to roll in from not only local communities but German ones as well. At Enloe, Charity Ball extends communities, cities, and possibly even states. I am proud to now say that Charity Ball has truly become a community event. It is no longer just a Raleigh event, a North Carolina event or an American event, it is an international event where people of all lands can feel the impact of spreading holiday cheer during this holiday season.
That is why I share in the excitement this Charity Ball season. Eager to see the coming of December 10, because if I can’t trust my peers on Enloe Student Council to reach this goal, I don’t know who I can count on. Though I may be unable to attend this year’s Charity Ball and see the reveal of the check that awes the faces of many, I know my peers back home are going to make this become a reality for the people of Urban Ministries.
The process makes it all the more worthwhile. Not only is Raleigh, NC, or the United States #allinforUrbanMin, but now Germany shares in the sweat, tears, excitement, and anticipation. Sharing my donations, love, and anticipation for this legendary day. To some, $120,000 is an unachievable dream. To us, $120,000 is reality. To the people of Urban Ministries, $120,000 is the chance to live a life they choose.
Amy Lin
Junior