I love dessert! And I especially love pie. Whether it’s chocolate, apple, or cherry, nothing is better than having a delicious warm dessert with your friends. It is always an annual tradition at my house to have warm pumpkin pie during the holidays. This week, I got to try a new kind of pie, whipped cream pie, and this time I didn’t get to eat it. Instead, I had six whipped cream pies thrown in my face in order to raise money for the B Positive foundation.
The B Positive Foundation supports childhood cancer patients by offering money to families who have children that are diagnosed with cancer. I recently became involved in initiatives that support the B Positive charity and each week in our building, there is an event to support patients or raise money for the foundation.
This week, the event was titled, “Pie your RA.” Each of the staff members in the building offered to be “pied” in the face if their residents paid three dollars. There was a great turn out, and one of the RAs got 27 pies thrown at him. Afterwards, everyone was drenched in whipped cream. The lounge was a wreck and furniture askew. However no one seemed to care because in just one hour we had raised $500 for the B positive foundation and that’s what was important. One silly event turned out to be a huge success.
Going to weekly events like this has shown me the importance of service on the University of Delaware campus. Simply making a birthday card for a kid in the hospital, recording a performance to broadcast to hospital patients, or volunteering to be “pied” in the face can make a huge difference. This year my eyes have been opened to the plethora of service opportunities on our campus. Even the smallest form of service impacts someone, and won’t go unnoticed.
Now service means so much more to me. It occurs everywhere, all around us, and is anything that can make a difference in people’s lives. So, next time you’re in line for Dunkin Donuts, offer to pay for the person behind you, compliment the girl who sits next to you in math, write a letter to your favorite mentor, or go donate your old clothes to a homeless shelter. In each and every way you’ll be serving.
It was amazing that I could help raise $500 for a charity, just by participating in the event “pie your RA.” Even something as silly as having whipped cream smeared in my face had a significance and helped raise money. The next time someone asks me to participate in a service event, I won’t think that my small contribution is negligible. Each small act of service spreads kindness. What kind of service events are you involved in and who can you impact? Remember, every dollar counts. Every act counts. Every pie counts.
~Amanda Abrom
