At the beginning of my Charity Ball journey in the Fall of 2019, I was an energetic and charismatic Freshman Senator that wasn’t quite sure of who I was, my purpose on Enloe Charity Ball, or even my purpose at Enloe itself. My time here has been characterized by hitting $1,000,00 in our cumulative fundraising amount, a global pandemic, and a new Charity Ball director—all within 3 years. While it has definitely been turbulent, that does not mean that I haven’t enjoyed my time—rather, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. To me, Enloe Charity Ball is chock-full of little moments that make the season worthwhile. Whether it be caroling with Enloe’s numerous clubs and organizations or competing on the kickball diamond, I have experienced a plethora of moments that have helped shape me into who I am, and the leader that I have been this year.
Although it has not just been one moment, my relationship with Mrs. Schroeder cannot be described in words. I distinctly remember when I dislocated my shoulder at our annual fall retreat playing football. In case you are not familiar with me, I have dislocated both of my shoulders a total of 12 times, and this was arguably the worst it had ever been. Although it seems like a dumb accomplishment, I had never cried in front of anyone on council, and I was somewhat proud of that, considering the stress that ECB can bring. After popping my shoulder back in, I had gone through dinner, and I was about to enter our large meeting room, in which I was expected to lead our 80-person council. However, I realized that I wasn’t ready. I gave Mrs. Schroeder a warm hug, and the waterworks immediately followed. I wasn’t prepared for the cathartic release after—not only was I feeling better physically, but that hug made me realize that I am not doing this job alone. I had a team supporting me, consisting of people that I consider my best friends, and I could let them shoulder some of the weight that I felt I had to bear.
This team has been my family for the past 8 months, and I’m not ready for it to end. I will forever miss the moments at my house sending emails, eating dinner with my family, or arguing over Taco Bell versus Subway for lunch. Although this has (naturally) been stressful, I still would go back and relive all of the little moments again and again, because at its fundamental core, Enloe Charity Ball is a family that I will forever cherish.
Next year, I will be in college, but Enloe Charity Ball will always live on, whether it be through my younger brother Griffin, our beneficiary, or Enloe as a whole. I am incredibly grateful for this wonderful opportunity, and I hope that Enloe Charity Ball continues to have little moments that create larger impacts on not only our beneficiaries but the Raleigh community as a whole.
Adam Burchell
Student Body President