From a chickadee: Ashley

I spent two and a half years with THON in various roles and though it all I was able to grow my love for service, fundraising, and helping others. THON helped me connect with people all over campus, build my leadership and planning skills, and grow personally. THON helped me learn to listen to others, respect differing opinions, handle stress, and to think of the bigger picture. THON was such a large part of my college experience, and what made it better was being able to enjoy it with my fellow Chickadees.

While I love every organization that we partner with in Chickadees, THON was such a great experience for me because our focus was on one philanthropy the whole year. Dell Children’s Medical Center is one of the leading children’s hospitals in the country because of the excellent staff and emphasis on holistic care. I feel proud that my hard work fundraising with THON helped build the Grace Grego Maxwell Mental Health Unit at Dell Children’s. I really enjoyed the family and hospital events where THON miracle makers could go to the hospital and spend time with the kids playing games and doing arts and crafts. It is amazing to see the kids we are helping and to help make their lives feel a little bit more normal.

In my time in THON, I served as a miracle maker, a team captain, and the assistant director (AD) of fundraising. I especially enjoyed being the AD of fundraising because I was able to be more hands-on in the organization. I planned profit shares with local restaurants, help coordinate large fundraisers like Pancake Night and Polar Plunge, and organize our weekly canning events. We committee had a lot of responsibilities so we were able to work with some of the other committees frequently. Through this, I was able to build a strong network of friends that I might not have met otherwise.

My favorite event with THON was always The Day Of. The Day Of is the twelve-hour dance marathon and fundraising push. Throughout the day there is dancing, games, food, opportunities to meet some of the miracle kids, and make new friends. The Chickadees Team always comes for the full twelve hours, standing the whole time. I really appreciated that this last year because as a leadership member I wasn’t able to be on the Chickadees team, but I felt Chickadee’s support and commitment to THON through their dedication at The Day Of.

Overall, THON provided many opportunities for me to grow as an individual and leader. I strengthened my commitment to service through my experiences in THON and felt supported by my fellow Chickadees.

Fly,

Ashley Donovan

Epsilon Class