Charity Ball Shenanigans

Hey everybody, 

It is hard to believe the Charity Ball is over. 

As a member of the Honors College Student Council, I have been anticipating and planning this event since the beginning of the school year. Now that it has come and gone, it is time to share some thoughts and pictures. 

Thoughts! 

• Venue: Amazing! I have been characterized as having "extravagant taste", so the Carnegie Hotel did not disappoint with all the gorgeous light fixtures and decorated ceilings/walls. I'd like to live there. 
• Food: I had a delicious red velvet cupcake! That was the highlight, but there were also small snacks for everyone like mini quesadillas, chicken on a stick, vegetable eggrolls, and spinach dip.
• Friends: I suppose Kate was my date. We got ready and rode together, then joined our pals Steven, John, and Jonah at a table with some of their friends. They are lovely company and ~interesting~ dancers. 
• Charity: We raised over $6,000 for the local charity, Small Miracles, an equestrian therapy facility that serves members of the community who have disabilities and even veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress. Overall, it was an extremely successful fundraising partnership with CIDA, and I know our hard work was worth it!  

Pictures! 

The ever-so stylish Luke and I 

Kate, Steven, his famous bolo tie, and I 

There isn't much to say except that the night was a success! Everyone seemed to have fun dancing and hanging out with friends! If you are reading this and you did not have a good time, please let me know so we can fix it for next year!

In other news: I am trying to find somewhere else to wear my dress. 

Until Next Time, 

Maddie 

March for Our Lives

Hello hello hello!

Happy Final Month of Classes!

If you read/watch/hear the news at all,  you know a few things:
1. Yet another school shooting has taken the lives of students.
2.  The majority of America wants Congress to do something about it--the breadth of which can be determined by your political beliefs/ constitutional interpretation, etc.
( Main thing we can agree on: desire for safety in our schools, churches, and communities)

These past few weeks have been full of activism on the national stage, but sometimes it is hard to feel that same fervor locally. I didn't expect much to be happening for this issue in East Tennessee. Last week, however, I was fortunate enough to experience something that changed my mind: March for Our Lives.

The day of the March was a Saturday. It was cold. It was raining. It was the middle of the afternoon. All of these factors could typically contribute to a small turnout. My brother and I arrived, expecting to see a few other college kids and families. In reality, I was blown away by the number of people in our community who showed up on this dreary Saturday to march for change. It was 2 miles, and I was surrounded by fellow citizens from every generation. An older couple--both using walkers--were doing the march next to us and said, "We've been fighting against gun violence since we were about your age!" This comment put the movement into perspective for me. It may be frustrating as a young person to see these shootings time and time again, and wait as congress does nothing to protect us, but others in our nation have been going through this for decades. The American epidemic of gun violence is not a recent epidemic.

We stopped in a park about halfway through the march to share a moment of silence for those killed in the Parkland school shooting and all other victims of gun violence in our nation. Then we continued and ended at the ETSU Cave patio to begin a rally. Starbucks donated some hot coffee to warm us up, and as we drank, local organizations handed out information and voter registration forms.

Speakers from many different perspectives shared their personal encounters with gun violence and voiced support for common sense reform. The group included ETSU students, Johnson City teachers and law enforcement, a local Moms Demand Action organizer, and even the Vice-Mayor of Johnson City. It was truly a remarkable display of democracy right here on campus and in our city.


Some pictures are included below:

My brother Garrett and I post-march and pre-rally

I know that the current political climate can make every issue polarized, but this is one thing we can all come together to work on. We should not have to fear for our safety in public spaces.

If you want to become more informed and involved, please check out these links. 

Everytown for Gun Safety

Moms Demand Action (not just for moms) 

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence

Signing off to send a letter to Congress (Join me!), 

Maddie