Just wanted to share a cool thing I got to do today. The company I work for, US Cellular, has a program where every year they give away a $1,000,000 to local schools. It is split up by the 10 schools that get the most votes around the country, at least in the areas we service. They've been doing this for a couple of years now, and it is always amazing that 90% of the time the schools that win are small and often rural.
Anyway, the school that won today was BF Grady, located in a tiny town called Albertson, in rural eastern North Carolina. The company rounded up over 100 associates, some traveling well over 100 miles, many on their day off, to award this school the money. Nobody knew which school won, except for the principal, who was notified yesterday. They didn't even tell us until we were on the charter buses headed to the school.
The pricipal had called a "pep rally" alegedly to kick off the schools soccer season!! They got everyone in the gym and had their rally as we gathered just outide the gym doors waiting for the signal. We had hundereds of t-shirts and other stuff to toss to the crowd when we went in. When we got the go ahead, all 100 plus of us burst through the doors to thunderous applause and hundereds of screaming kids. They had been working toward this moment for months, hoping, dreaming, and it became reality.
The Lt. Govenor of NC was there as well as the local state representatives. Lifetime network sent a crew to shoot the whole thing from behind the scenes through the presentation to air on their morning show on March 6th, I believe. It was just an amazing experience to see the joy on all the kids faces, as well as the parents and teachers. The principal had promised that, if they won, they would divide the money with $10,000 going to each grade K-8th and the remaining 10 grand to the arts, music and PE programs of the school. The kids and teachers in each grade will be the one's deciding how the money will get spent.
I just can't describe just how cool this was. This was a very poor school and it meant so much to them. This is a company I have wanted to work for for a long time, partly because of things like today. My addiction held me back. I couldn't pass a drug test, quite frankly, I could'nt perform at the level the company requires, and I lacked the courage and confidence to even try. I'm clean 9 months now and I can't even begin to describe how much better my life is, in almost every way.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this with my Secular peeps, ya'll rock!! Hope everyone had as good a day as I did!!! Take care.