Mon. Nov. 4th
“Kids These Days”
You may have read my previous rants about people my age (and older) saying “Kids these days, blah blah blah”. The “Kids These Days” are FAR more philanthropic than I was at that age and I would submit that they may be the most philanthropic young people EVER. With no disrespect intended to adults, The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation would not be where it is today without these kids. Specifically, The B+ Foundation would not be in a position to help over 1,000 families of kids with cancer this year ALONE. The B+ Foundation would not be in a position to have helped fund cutting edge childhood cancer research which has resulted in amazing discoveries.
Allow me to please share with you what has happened from coast-to-coast in The B+ Foundation’s battle against childhood cancer in just the past few days:
Yesterday, the University of Washington held a “B+ 5k Challenge for Children” in Seattle.
Yesterday, the sororities of LaSalle University in Philadelphia organized a “B+ Halloween 5k”. This first year event drew a big crowd and they exceeded their fundraising goal by raising over $15,000!
Last Saturday night, the University of Delaware Club Ice Hockey team played Penn State in a game that was a fundraiser and awareness raiser for The B+ Foundation.
Last Saturday afternoon, the Brown University Soccer Team held a B+ fundraiser as part of their game against Penn in Providence, RI. This is just the first component of a larger event coming to the Brown campus.
For Parents’ Weekend, Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority at the University of Texas held an auction and other fundraising activities to increase their AMAZING fundraising. This is the sorority that raised $33k in just 72 hours a few weeks ago by sending out emails. They’re now way over $50,000! The start of a great tradition. Hook ’em horns!
Last Friday night, Sigma Chi fraternity at the University of Texas (Austin) held “Fight Night” and they selected The B+ Foundation as one of their beneficiaries.
On Halloween Night, ZBT fraternity at NYU took their B+ Hero, Christian, trick-or-treating in Manhattan (see picture). We have paired numerous B+ Heroes (children with cancer) with groups around the country and the students have been amazing in putting these brave kids on the pedestals that they deserve.
The University of Illinois students ride bicycles from coast-to-coast each year to fight cancer. The event is called the Illini 4,000! The dedication, the commitment, the kindness….AMAZING. Thankfully, the I4k students have selected The B+ Foundation as one of their beneficiaries!!!
Last week, the North Star Elementary School (DE) 5th graders kicked off their annual B+ fundraiser. The kids have raised over $10,000 in the past three years. The students do extra chores at home, collect donations in the neighborhood, and do various fundraisers (movie night at school). Three students, Emily, Chloe, and Kendall, have already raised $200 selling B+ cake pops in their neighborhood. How can you not feel great about this?
Running a charity that fights childhood cancer can be a very sad and emotionally-draining crusade (no, it’s not a job). As I read and re-read these 9 bullet points, I’m energized by the kindness of young people. I hope they never lose their passion, innocence, idealism, philanthropic mindset, and kindness.
“Kids these day”? Yeah, I love them.
B+
Ali & Andrew’s Dad