Becoming Selfless Through Service by Laura

Becoming Selfless Through Service by Laura - April 2022 Scholarship Essay

I’ve been a part of Children of the American Revolution since I was a newborn. My grandparents enrolled me into the organization at a young age in order for me to “find a voice” in public speaking, being social with other people, and helping serve my community. The purpose of the Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) is to teach young Americans about the history of America and to serve our country and community, similar to the widely known society: Sons of the American Revolution. At the age of 3, I was comfortable enough to get up on a stage and comfortably introduce myself to hundreds of people. The love of helping the community and raising money came shortly after when I was able to participate in raising funds with previous Missouri State Presidents for the organization they chose to raise money. The “projects” of the Presidents would range from, service animals for veterans, to raising money to restore community landmarks. Each year members would work together by selling C.A.R. merchandise, food, and lapel pins to raise money for the president’s project.
In May of 2018, I was sworn into office as the Missouri State President of the Children of the American Revolution. For the next year, I raised funds for the Pediatric Orthotic Prosthetic Services Clinic at Shriners Hospital in St. Louis Missouri. Prosthetics for children can be very expensive ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, including the fact that children grow and will need adjustments as they get older. I believe that children should be able to get this necessity without having to worry about costs. Without a prosthetic arm or leg, it’s hard for kids to live the best childhood they can. I decided to choose this organization because throughout middle school I had a friend who was born without a left arm. She herself raised awareness for people with a limb difference and traveled across the country to do so. Her initiative inspired me to choose Shriners Hospital, specifically the P.O.P.S. (Pediatric Orthotic Prosthetic Services) clinic to raise money. The opportunity to become the state president was a very important part of my life. It helped me make a difference in several people's lives and inspired my love for helping those in need.
During my presidency, I traveled all over the state to Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield, Lake Ozark, and more. Traveling, I met with people and had the opportunity to speak about my project and spread awareness, as well as collect donations for the P.O.P.S. clinic. At the conclusion of my presidency in 2019, I raised a total of $6,025 for children who need prosthetics with 100% of the funds given to the Shriners Hospital of St. Louis. Due to my achievements, I was awarded two Bronze Medals of Appreciation from the Sons of the American Revolution. The opportunity to serve my community and State has made a large impact on my life and truly showed me how humanitarianism and charitable acts, can change someone's life for the better. The Children of the American Revolution helped me find my voice as a person, better my public speaking skills, and showed me how to be more selfless. I found a love for community service and helping those in need through my service with C.A.R. I’m very thankful for the moment to leave an impact on the world, big or small.