Anika Kasula | ’20-’21 Director of Fundraising One of the most important aspects of a Key Club is fundraising, which is why it is imperative that members know about the fundraising events happening every month. When a Key Club fundraises, they don’t do so for themselves but rather for charities. Every penny that members donate directly benefits someone in need. The Key Club itself will not keep the money for personal club reasons, as we are a nonprofit. There are four charities that our club raises money for every year: Pediatric Trauma Program (PTP), Eliminate for MNT, March of Dimes, and Children’s Miracle Network. The Pediatric Trauma Program is a charity founded by the Cali-Nev-Hawaii (CNH) district, which Whitney Key Club is a part of. PTP is the main charity we raise funds for, as all funds help people in these three states (California, Nevada, & Hawaii). If you check out many of our fundraising posts or read our emails about upcoming events, you have likely seen us state that “All Proceeds Go Toward PTP”. This essentially means that all the money you, our members, donate, goes directly to the Pediatric Trauma Program, which supplies grants to partner hospitals and strives to develop local projects that will reduce the number of children impacted by fatal, unintentional injuries. It is honestly so heartbreaking that trauma is the leading cause of death for children in the United States. These children have their whole lives in front of them, but because of improper resources and a lack of money, they cannot not help their situation. That is exactly why it is so important to donate, especially if you can, as we have the ability to save children just like us. The Eliminate Project is another program Key Club raises funds for while partnering with UNICEF. It is a charity that aims to eliminate Maternal Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) from the world. MNT is typically a terrible consequence of unclean deliveries; however, a simple vaccine is what can cure this disease. Unfortunately, not many people can afford this vaccine, which costs less than a dollar. Therefore, before you decide to buy something from a vending machine, think about donating it, as that dollar could potentially save a life. This is why the Eliminate Project is so important: every cent donated counts and directly impacts someone in the world. The March of Dimes is a charity that started in order to raise awareness of prematurity in babies. They collect dimes to raise funds for medical research into birth defects, to reduce the rate of premature births, and to help mothers have healthy pregnancies. Once again, we see a common theme appear here, where every cent donated truly counts. The fact that every dime they donate is going toward research or toward a pregnancy shows that there is no need to question where your money goes. What makes me personally motivated to donate is the thought that my donation saves multiple lives. It is extremely surreal to think about the fact that I, a regular teenager, am able to do something so pure and good for the world. This made me want to show others around me that giving to those who are not as privileged is imperative in making the world a better place. March of Dimes is one of the four charities that give key clubbers the ability to do just that.
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