Southeast Polk Junior Callie Bruchert’s DECA Community Giving event project stands for what is important – she is changing the lives of children in Blank Children’s Hospital. Callie’s project, which she has done now for 2 years, “Baskets for Blank 2020,” raised $9,000 this year with all proceeds going to the Child Life program at Blank Children’s Hospital!
As Callie explains,
“Child Life is a great program that provides things for children and families at Blank to help make their stay a little bit less frightening.”
Last year Callie raised $3500, and even though COVID-19 made it a little more challenging this year, she found ways to overcome. Callie incorporated several different ways for people to donate to her project, including an online silent auction, selling SEP face masks printed by Fully Promoted and allowing monetary donations. Thank you to one group that has donated both years to her cause: the Pleasant Hill Police Department! This year, Sergeant Grimes suggested to Chiel Pizzano that the department take the money collected from their No Shave November (and December) fundraiser and split it between two causes: Tori’s Angels and Callie’s Baskets for Blank 2020.
Callie presented her $9,000 donation to Blank Children’s Hospital earlier this year. She donated the money in honor of a family friend who passed away this summer, Yodi Ollom.
Rachel Oppold, Director of Annual Giving at Blank Children’s Hospital, shared,
“Callie and her efforts have and will touch so many patients’ lives at Blank Children’s. In 2019 she brought in toys during Christmas time and raised $3,500. This year her efforts were incredible. She raised $9,000 as a tribute to a family friend, Yodi. The money raised goes directly to Child Life, which helps patients on their journey in the hospital. Child Life helps turn fear into fun, the unknown into understanding and helps the hospital feel more like home. Child Life helps children who are grieving or experience loss as well. Callie has an incredible heart and her efforts to give back will go on to help many patients. Blank Children’s is so grateful for Callie and the generosity of her family, friends and community that support her and the patients at Blank Children’s.” To learn more about Child Life, we invite you to follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH2E2duCTaE&t=12s
“Callie and her efforts have and will touch so many patients’ lives at Blank Children’s. In 2019 she brought in toys during Christmas time and raised $3,500. This year her efforts were incredible. She raised $9,000 as a tribute to a family friend, Yodi. The money raised goes directly to Child Life, which helps patients on their journey in the hospital. Child Life helps turn fear into fun, the unknown into understanding and helps the hospital feel more like home. Child Life helps children who are grieving or experience loss as well. Callie has an incredible heart and her efforts to give back will go on to help many patients. Blank Children’s is so grateful for Callie and the generosity of her family, friends and community that support her and the patients at Blank Children’s.”
To learn more about Child Life, we invite you to follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH2E2duCTaE&t=12s
Callie’s Baskets for Blank project won at the DECA State competition last year and Callie was to present at the International Conference last spring, but the conference was cancelled due to COVID-19. The state competition included writing a paper in relation to her efforts as well as preparing a 15-minute presentation. DECA is a student organization offered at Southeast Polk High School that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management in high schools and colleges around the globe. As a part of this organization, students engage in leadership activities, service projects, social activities, and business competitions.
We are so proud of Callie and her incredible leadership to serve others! Congratulations!
