I’ll never forget the first time I met the leaders of Enloe Charity Ball. Last spring, several dozen people from various local charities gathered to learn more about Charity Ball, each hoping that their organization would be the incredibly fortunate one to be chosen this year.
The student leaders’ eyes sparkled as they talked about the impact Charity Ball has had over the years. They spoke of passion, empowerment, being intentional, and a chance to do something real. They told us they wanted to get involved and truly partner with a charity that was making people in their community healthier, safer, and happier.
They said their motto was Alive with Purpose, and it shone through. Charity Ball clearly made them feel alive. What better purpose than to raise up members of your community?
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Fast forward many months. The Autism Society of North Carolina was chosen as this year’s charity partner, and each day, we grow more impressed with the Enloe student leaders. We love their enthusiasm, their energy, and their dedication.
Enloe’s students are a perfect partner for our IGNITE program. IGNITE’s mission is to help young adults on the autism spectrum find their passions and achieve their goals toward a fulfilling life. That is just what everyone involved with Charity Ball does! They have found something that fulfills them – helping others – and they are in the midst of high school, a time when many think about next steps and choose a career path. They are great role models to inspire our IGNITE members, who often are forgotten and left
behind after the support of high school ends.
We have already seen some beautiful moments as the students and members spend time together. High school was not always an easy time for our members, and it has been inspiring to see them and the
students begin to bond.
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So that is the past and the present – what about the future? Of course, we look forward to the actual ball and the thrilling reveal of the total funding raised by the amazing students. But what is truly most exciting to us at the Autism Society of North Carolina is the idea that all of the students will have learned so much about people on the spectrum during these months. They will have learned all that they have in common with the members: They have passions and dreams, and they are setting goals to get there.
The students will know that sometimes, people just need a little support to get where they’re going. And they will know how to provide that helping hand, how to raise people on the spectrum up. They will go into their colleges, their towns, and their workplaces ready to make these places inclusive communities.
They will create a better future. For EVERYONE.
Amy Seeley
Communications Associate for the Autism Society of North Carolina
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