A lot of people have told me they view student council and Enloe Charity Ball as “just something to put on your college applications”. And although that may be true for some people, getting to see the way this organization rallies together the Enloe community transcends whatever benefit I receive from adding ECB to my activity list. From seeing my fellow student council members show out at volunteering, organizing, and participating in fun sports tournaments, and most importantly (to me), hanging out with hot cocoa on cold December mornings with Enloe students, every aspect of the charity ball leaves me with immense gratitude for the opportunities it provides.
Ho-Cho is the week-long event held every year in Enloe’s west gym lobby, where ECB sells hot chocolate, donuts, and coffee to staff and students. It is an honor to get to wake up at 5:00 in the morning to drive and pick up coffee from a Starbucks 25 minutes from my house, and then head to Enloe by 6:30 to prepare for the holiday vending festivities.
In all seriousness, in my three years on the finance committee, Ho-Cho has been one of my favorite and most rewarding events. I’m accustomed to receiving donations from your standard adult figures: my mom, dad, grandparents, and family friends. And although that is still fulfilling, student-led work is the heart of Enloe Charity Ball, and its value goes untouched. Seeing my peers line up at 7 in the morning to get a sweet treat shows how ECB not only is impactful to those actively running it, but it also gives the chance for young people to have a tangible impact on their community. It is so important to not only help others, but give others the chance to help others, and that is what I think ECB and Ho-Cho are all about. Ultimately, Ho-Cho reminds me why Enloe Charity Ball matters: it empowers students to come together, give back, and create something bigger than themselves.
Ameila Allen