Hannah walking the walk.
May 10, 2009
This past weekend, Hannah participated in a walk for Crohn’s disease. Hannah has a dear, dear friend who suffers from Crohn’s disease. Someone was sponsoring a walk and Hannah wanted to walk for her friend.
As Hannah was getting ready to leave for the walk, she went and grabbed her credit card and got on the computer. I found that a bit odd. I asked Hannah what she was doing.
“I am giving money for the walk.”
Well, that makes sense to me! I asked more questions. I had never seen my daughter give money to a philanthropy on her own. I thought I had only seen her give money with my counseling, my parenting, my prompting. But here was my daughter, giving money on her own volition, and giving of her OWN money.
I asked Hannah about using her credit card, about using her own money. I thought I was one of the luckiest parents alive, to see my daughter give her own money to a cause that was important to her friend’s health. I thought I was also so lucky because my daughter could get online and not just PLEDGE money, but actually GIVE money by using her own credit card. The very same credit card I forced down her throat three years ago. The one she isn’t so crazy about using. But today, that credit card was really useful to her.
Then I felt a lump in my throat. I believe in philanthropy. I’ve taught my daughter about philanthropy. And here was my daughter, being philanthropic.
“Hannah. Would you like us to give some money to the walk for Crohn’s disease?”
“Sure,” she said, in her casual, teenager way.
“How much would you like us to give?”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “How much do you want to give?”
I reminded Hannah that in these tough economic times, her dad and I weren’t able to give as much money to philanthropy as we would like. But we know that every charity needs money and that this year, many charities are reaching farther and wider for contributions. I reminded Hannah that her dad and I had adopted a new, temporary policy regarding giving: Anybody who asks, we give them $25.
Hannah thought that sounded good. She thought $25 would work just fine. That’s what she gave. So that was good for her parents, as well.
I handed Hannah my credit card. I knew she could handle the transaction for me. Then I ran to tell her Dad what had just happened. I had witnessed a whole new dimension of my beautiful daughter.
And then I came back to the kitchen and got my credit card from my daughter. Put it back in my wallet for safe-keeping. I love her and admire her, but I do know how to protect my money!
Justine
Selling Girls Scout Cookies
January 13, 2009
My daughter, Hannah, is a Girl Scout. And it is Cookie Time! Time for Girl Scouts across the country to sell Girl Scout cookies. Selling Girl Scout Cookies is an important fundraiser for the Girl Scouts, both at the local troop level as well as at the regional district levels and at the national level.
Hannah has sold Girl Scout Cookies every January for the past eleven years. And she has learned a lot about money by selling cookies. She has also learned a lot about sales.
I’ve been a Cookie Mom a few times because I am passionate about girls learning about money, sales and fundraising. Being a Cookie Mom has been a great way to try to teach kids other than my own about these things. Particularly in teaching the importance of these topics to girls.
Hannah is becoming an old hand at selling cookies, but we try to up the ante every year. This year, Hannah is targeting former customers that she knows will buy. She finds that single professional women who are friends of mine love to buy cookies from her. Hannah has figured out who her best customer base is and then goes and sells to them. And she sells in a fashion that suits the customer, which to this customer base is typically via email that is read by the prospective customer on a PDA. I love that Hannah is figuring this out and that this will help with larger life and business lesson regarding making a sale later in her life.
I also love that Hannah (and my sons, who are Boy Scouts) learn about fundraising through their fundraising activities as well. I think that these activities help them understand how non-profit organizations raise money and hopefully will help them become more philanthropic when they are adults.
Justine
