Are You Making a Difference?

What gets you out of bed in the morning? Work? School? Or the fun of helping others? For about 450 high school students in Pensacola, Florida, it’s helping others that gets them out of bed early on a Saturday morning, no less.

That’s how many Catholic High School students will participate in this year’s Make a Difference Day on October 26. Why do they do it?

Twelfth grader Zack Wyant remembers his first Make a Difference Day. “I just took a second and thought, ‘Look at all these kids out here. It’s early. It’s cold. Look at these people willing to give up and sacrifice.’ It exemplifies how much we want to help others.”

Fellow Catholic High School Senior Tiarra Blackshear said, “My favorite part of being in high school is Make a Difference Day. I get a lot out of helping students and other people. It’s really fun to see students come together and help different people in our community, no matter who they are.”

Both have done a variety of things over the past few Make a Difference Days, from car washes to dog washes. If you want ideas for things to do this Make a Difference Day, here are a few that Catholic High School Students have done:

Habitat house

Cleaning up a local cemetery

Partner with an elementary school to do a festival to raise money

Build a fitness trail for the Sacred Heart Miracle Camp

Prepare items for wish lists for the Ronald McDonald House

Plant sea oats and put up fences to fight erosion on a small island

Build an oyster bed for an ecosystem

Build a playground for a children’s home

Build picnic tables to give to nonprofits

Visit nursing homes

Build wheelchair ramps for people in wheelchairs

Altogether they do 22 to 28 projects each Make a Difference Day and having been doing it for 19 years!

Catholic High administrator Jane Moseley  says, “We encourage the kids at Catholic High School to be involved in service.” Sounds like Ms. Moseley is doing something right!

Why don’t you join them next Saturday in doing something to Make a Difference? I will be volunteering at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in my area for the third year in a row and this year I’ve roped my husband into helping, too!

God Bless and go for it. Make a difference!