“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” - Aesop.

For anyone who has not heard of Crafting for a Cure, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to this outstanding charity I have been supporting and raising funds for their annual Kilometers for Kids (K for K) walkathon since I was 7 years old. I would also like to introduce its President, Mrs. Pamela Bielak, affectionately known as Mrs. B, who is the heart and soul of this charity. Crafting for a Cure's mission and goal is to put a smile on every child's face when a hospital stay is necessary. With generous donations and services from the various sponsors who believe in the mission and goal of Crafting for a Cure, the charity assembles craft kits and ship them to children in hospitals in Canada, USA and several other countries worldwide. These craft kits are a symbol of love, hope and support. There is a handmade card included in each craft kit to let the children know that someone is thinking of them, rooting for them and most of all, someone beyond the hospital walls cares about them. The craft kit may not be a big deal for us but for a child staying in a hospital, it is a big deal as it brings a smile to his/her face. When I first started raising funds for Crafting for a Cure at the tender age of 7, all I thought about was finding ways to raise lots of money to win the grand prize which was a weekend stay at a house close to Wasaga Beach. I kept thinking how sweet it would be to win the prize and have my cousins along for a weekend of fun and games! At 7 years of age, the importance of raising funds and the charity's mission and goal was the furthest from my mind. Each year, as Mrs. B would come to my elementary and high school seeking volunteers and participants for the K for K walkathon, I began to understand the important work the charity was doing. As the years went by, I got more involved in the charity. If Mrs. B puts out a call for student volunteers at the charity's public family events such as Pumpkin Fest and Family Fun Fest, I would be one of the many students answering her call. If Mrs. B. puts out a call for volunteers to help pack and prepare craft kits for shipping, I would be there along with numerous other students helping with this worthy cause and the bonus is you get volunteer hours! Crafting for a Cure has taught me to be more humane, compassionate, caring and to give back to the community - to children less fortunate than ourselves. Most of all, it makes me think how fortunate I am to be healthy and not having to stay in a hospital for one reason or another. I believe that Crafting for a Cure owes its success to its President, Mrs. B. Mrs. B is a tireless advocate and is truly dedicated to Crafting for a Cure. She is the face of Crafting for a Cure. Last year, when Mrs. B. was 'under the weather', she still showed up at the K for K walkathon shouting out encouragement to the participants. It would not be a K for K walkathon if Mrs. B was not there. We follow by example and she is perfect role model for us - never give up in the face of adversity. This year is my final year in high school. I will be attending University in September and depending on my school work load, I would still like to stay in touch with Mrs. B and Crafting for a Cure. I am now passing the torch to elementary and high school students to carry out the good work the charity does. There is so much to be learned from being involved in Crafting for a Cure - to be more considerate, kind, compassionate and mindful that some child in a hospital needs your love and support. In 2016, Crafting for a Cure gave out over 50,000 craft kits and the goal this year is to give out 100,000 craft kits. Without dedicated volunteers, Crafting for a Cure will not be able to meet its goal of 100,000 craft kits. Isn't it worth it to be a part of an organization that helps put a smile on 100,000 children's faces? It would be absolutely priceless!

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