Three months out of twelve, high schoolers raise money for a local beneficiary. Three months out of twelve, the Enloe walls are plastered with posters and banners of upcoming fundraising events. Three months out of twelve, parents are informed over the dinner table how much more needs to be raised in order to reach the ambitious goal that was set for those three months.
These past three months have been, unequivocally, the most eye-opening of my life. I have realized the importance of passion, balance, and timeliness. The work that we do with Enloe Charity Ball has always seemed normal to me. It was a constant in my high school career, but when you look at any other high school around us, no one is reaching the degree of impact that Charity Ball does annually.
Three months is such a short period of time to raise the magnitude of money that ECB does. Looking back at the history of Charity Ball, you see the totals that were reached in the early years, purely from ticket sales: $2,000, $4,000, $13,000. And now, looking at the goal of $165,000 that we have set for ourselves, you would call us crazy for thinking we could get there. And yet, every year, we do. A group of 70 high school students raises thousands of dollars for the good of our community in three months.
It still hasn’t hit me that this is my final year with Enloe Charity Ball. All I know is that the three months out of twelve that I spend with Charity Ball each year will never leave me. I will relish the lessons it has taught me, the friends it has brought me, and the pride that will always live right next to ECB in the back of my mind. No longer will I take three months for granted. Three months of my life could alter the way that I see the world and those around me, just as Charity Ball has.
Regan Lloyd