Filling the void...

I live a life that has been blessed by the grace of some being that I believe is greater than myself. I am fortunate to have been surrounded by wonderful people and great opportunities. I live in a world where anything is possible. The near perfection of my life and all that it encompasses is almost overwhelming at times. I have a beautiful, healthy daughter, a few good jobs, a supportive network of family and friends and the opportunity to obtain higher education. Lately however, I have felt as if something was lacking.

I felt as if there was a void that I needed to fill. Some desire that was not being met. Something outside of my daily activities. Something that would leave me feeling better about my contributions to society. I knew that void was one that once filled with my service to my community.


In high school I volunteered in several organizations doing anything from leading handicap children on horseback to organizing a blood drive to being a camp counselor for a week. Over 700 hours in all.

Since then I have slacked. "Life Happened"- as they say; really I just chose to prioritize things that I felt were more important at the time.

In late February my sister and I made a bet that neither of us would shave our heads for a fundraiser in our hometown. As I found out more about the fundraiser and its cause, my involvement grew. In a matter of days I was going to board meetings, setting up a benefit boot camp and shaving my head on live TV.


What started as a tribute to a family friend's bald son who had went through chemo and a bet with my sister; turned into my personal mission to fight for cure by shaving my head.

Nothing could have prepared me for the reactions that would follow. Most people just stare at my bald head and look aware in shame, as if I might be sick and they don't want to be caught staring.

But some people get it. I have had several survivors or family members of surviviors, or even those who did not survive cancer come to me and thank me for shaving my head. Tears fill their eyes as they share their stories with me. I feel like a part of something more for once. It has been without a doubt the second greatest thing I have ever done, the first- having my daughter.

And while I can't expect everyone to be able 'brave a shave'. You don't have to shave to be a hero. St. Baldrick's Foundation raises money for childhood cancer research. Only 3% of research money for cancer goes to childhood forms. Cancer is the #2 cause of death for children ages 1-15. 1 in 5 children diagnosed with cancer do not survive.


This experience as opened my eyes to the beauty and strength in the human spirit.I appreciate the small things in my life more now. I know I have to stay involved in my community and keep giving back. I hope you can find a cause that will bring you the same type of experience.

Baldwin Center

Walking into the Baldwin Center I really didn't know what to expect. I had volunteered in Pontiac before, but I had not heard of this organization. I was unaware of what services they offered and to whom they offered them to. Despite my lack of familiarity with the Center I was excited to be able to volunteer instead of sitting in a classroom.

Once our tour started, I realized that the Center offered a variety of services and was composed of several different buildings. I thought that their commitment to maintaining a grass roots volunteer organization while offering opportunities to develop and expand others' ideas was very intriguing. The organization allows for individuals or groups to be innovative in developing programs to fit the needs of their customers.

It was a very laid back environment. There seemed at times to be a lack of organization and professionalism, but I also feel that this environment may lend itself more readily to its volunteers. I was impressed to find that the Center currently offers almost 30 different services.

When I left I felt enlightened. I was grateful for the opportunity to volunteer and make an organizational effort in their clothes closet. While we were there my classmates and I joked about the 'stylish' clothes. When I left I couldn't help but pause and watch us all jump into our nice cars. I took a second to be thankful for not having to rely on those services and to be able to help those in need.