Over the course of a week in February 2010, Florida International University (FIU) students celebrated hundreds of kids in local children’s hospitals.
“The success of our ‘A Tribute to Children’ week was truly a dream come true,” said Megan Lee, finance major in the College of Business Administration and vice president, community service for FIU’s Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (FBLA-PBL). “We wanted to get the message across that this week is all about the kids.”
FBLA-PBL partnered with other organizations on campus—including FIU Dance Marathon, Phi Mu, Phi Delta Epsilon and Sigma Chi—to raise funds for the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN), a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of children through donations to its connected local children’s hospitals.
Energy and imagination mark activities.
At the Monday kickoff, “Miracle Ball Day,” the students garnered attention by rolling an eight-foot beach ball around campus, while asking for donations and getting signatures on the ball. The week concluded with a Target-sponsored “Children’s Miracle Gala,” a semi-formal dinner dedicated to providing the children with a night of enjoyment.
In between, FBLA-PBL hosted “Raising Awareness Day”—at which volunteers raised money by selling custom-made buttons, CMN paper balloons and cupcakes—and “Kids Giving to Kids Day,” during which elementary school kids wrote “get well soon” cards to their peers in Miami Children’s Hospital.
On a “Day of Service,” three FIU FBLA-PBL members took a more hands-on approach by spending the day at Miami’s Children Hospital volunteering in the playroom and participating in special activities with the children, including a sing-a-long and arts and crafts.
“The members are to be congratulated for their creativity and outstanding efforts in surpassing their fundraising goal of $1,200,” said Maria Moldes, CMN director at Miami’s Children Hospital, who attended Friday night’s gala.
The evening raised $800, propelling the total funds raised for the entire week to $1,300, all of which went directly to CMN.
“The gala was an honor to attend,” said Jennifer Iguina, whose son’s congenital heart defect has required three open-heart surgeries and other procedures since his May 2007 birth. “We were amazed to see how the students are so involved and so into helping these children. It was truly amazing to share our story and give back to CMN and FIU.”
