Hi, my name is Lindsey! Some of you may know me but many of you probably do not. Since the Masquerade Ball Fundraiser that I am hosting on behalf of Remember the Children is coming up, I thought it would be a good time to tell you how I got involved in the first place.
In the winter of 2014, I started attending church with a close friend of mine. One day after service, we saw a sponsorship table from Remember the Children. As we grazed over the different children, I noticed this little boy named Alex. What stuck out to me the most was his bio. The category that asked what he wanted to do when he grew up was listed as “Pump Gas.” I was sold. I thought that was the most adorable thing I had ever read and I had to sponsor him right then and there….and I did. Within the next 24 hours, the sweet, little 4-year-old boy from Romania was this broke college student’s first sponsored child.
A few months down the road, I was attending church again when I noticed a frenzy of churchgoers carrying cardboard boxes in the parking lot. Off to the side, there was a table filled with them. Hmm, odd. My friend didn’t think so though. She went right over to the table, grabbed us two boxes and a couple brochures and we were on our way. I’ll be honest, it sat in my car for about a week before I even looked at them. It wasn’t until my friend asked me if “I had finished my box” that I went out to the car late one night to grudgingly retrieve the materials.
This was the second time Remember the Children stole a piece of my heart. The boxes? They were shoeboxes to be filled with necessities, gifts, candy, food, etc and then returned back to be shipped off to Romania. Once there, they would be given to the children as Christmas gifts. For many of these children, it would be the only Christmas gift they would receive. In two to three little sentences on the back of the brochure was more information on how you could attend the trip to help give out the boxes. I walked into work the next day and by the end of that day, I was submitting my application to go on the trip.
As of today, I have been on two trips to Romania and one trip to Tanzania with Remember the Children. Describing the emotions and the impact that these trips have had on my heart and soul is nearly impossible. The conditions that many of the children are living in is something that can only be seen to truly understand. In Romania, some of the children had no shoes on in 15-degree weather. Others are wearing shorts and tank tops as a layer of snow covers the ground. In Tanzania, many are sick with HIV. A lot of them have never known the love of a mother or father.
These are innocent children that were never given a chance. Remember the Children wants to change that. In the United States, many organizations fight for the voiceless. In Romania and Tanzania, very little support is given to these children and the communities surrounding them. Remember the Children is working to give hope to these countries. Little by little they are making a change that will give many children a better future. You can see the difference in the lives of the children already. When Andy and his teams are around, the kids come running. They are smiling and happy. They look forward to seeing him because they know that he really cares about every one of them. It is so amazing, you can’t help but want to be a part of it!
That is why the Veiled fundraiser was created. I knew I wanted to help and attending the trips was great, but I wanted to do something bigger. How can I spread the mission of Remember the Children to more people while also raising money to help support that very mission? Veiled is that answer. It provides an evening of celebration for all that Remember the Children is doing but also gets others involved. 100% of the proceeds go back to the kids and more specifically, this year’s event will go to the children in Tanzania. Guests will enjoy a fun evening but feel comfortable knowing that their money is going to a great cause!
Veiled is going to take place this year on Friday, November 2nd from 7-11pm. Tickets are $85 a piece or $75 a piece if purchasing 2 or more. It will be held at Martin’s East in Baltimore, MD. The evening will include a full buffet, beer, wine & champagne, casino games, a photo booth, silent auction, and more! Tickets can be purchased directly on Remember the Children’s website.
It is going to be a wonderful evening and I hope I get to see you all there!
Join the Fun, Attend Veiled 2018!
More About Lindsey
Lindsey has been involved with Remember the Children since 2014. She is an account manager for her family's logistics company. In her free time, she loves volunteering and is currently fostering puppies from two different organizations.