I started Going for Ten Thousand a year ago, and it’s been a seriously crazy 12 months. I started this, because it’s how I cope. This gave me a way to fight. I wanted to raise $10,000 for my mom and for Charlie. With help from an amazing number of people, I raised $22,807. I’m still trying to understand how we got there. 2010 was a good year.
1. Bucky joined the fight.
The fundraising night at the Nitty Gritty was the first event Going for Ten Thousand had on campus, and it was a crazy success. For hours, there was a line halfway down the stairs of people waiting to be seated. The top floor is normally closed on week nights, and we packed the place. Nearly 300 people joined the fight, and we raised $1,000. Even Bucky Badger made an appearance. That night was great.
2. Last May, a professor personally kicked me out of a 400-person lecture I was never enrolled in.
I marketed the Pepsi Refresh Project by going to lecture halls, sharing my story in the beginning of class, and handing out simple directions. I spoke in my lectures, followed friends to class, and wandered into a couple more. I would ask the professor, receive permission, and give my pitch. With each lecture I gained confidence, and as I spoke to more classes I watched my project’s ranking climb.
Then I walked into Anthropology 104. It was the end of the day on the last day of classes before finals. It was the last class I would speak to, and it was also the largest. The professor arrived, so I jumped on stage to ask permission to speak. I was surprised at the harsh, immediate rejection. I tried to explain myself more, but she wouldn’t budge. It was two minutes before class, and the hall was mostly full. I asked if I could go then, and received a “nod” from the TA standing next to her. I turned and went. The professor immediately tried to get me off stage, but I wasn’t leaving until I finished. She made quite the spectacle and continued to yell while left the room.
As I reached the door, I turned and saw laptops flashed to the Pepsi Refresh website. With a wave, I yelled thanks to the professor. I left the room to applause and laughter.
That night, my project broke the top ten for the first time. It took me two more months to win, but had I not spoken to thousands of students in lecture halls, I would not have gotten that grant. The day I was chased out of a 400 person lecture I was never enrolled in is the highlight of my Badger career thus far.
3. We won a Pepsi Refresh Grant.
The Pepsi Refresh Project was nuts. On occasion, I still meet people that voted, and that’s an amazing experience every time. It’s truly hard to believe how many people spread the word and how big it became. It took three months, but in July we won it. My family and I were on vacation that last night. The contest ended at 11p, and I sat at the computer for hours that night, hitting refresh over and over. When we finished in the top ten, I cried. My brother and I jumped in a lake. I can’t imagine a better place to be than with my family that night.
When I visit the page, it’s hard not to tear up. “Funded Idea.” That’s the part that gets me.
4. The Arrowhead Girls’ Soccer Program gave Going for Ten Thousand a really big check.
The soccer program was a huge part of my time at Arrowhead, and every year the girls do a community service project. My old soccer coach was one of the first people I called when I started Going for Ten Thousand. I was unbelievably excited when they made it last year’s project. Regardless of how much money they raised, it allowed me to stay connected to a program that meant so much to me.
Then I went to Africa and missed everything. Every time I called home, I asked how things were going, and I kept receiving great news. The night after I landed, the girls had their year-end banquet, and they invited me to attend. When I asked my friends how much they raised, nobody seemed to really know. The coaches kept the final number secret, but estimates were around $3,000-$4,000. I was stoked.
The coaches called me on stage and announced how much money they raised. $8,250. My jaw dropped. With that money, I broke my goal. That night is my favorite memory of 2010.
This has been a truly amazing year. Through this project, I have learned so much about myself. I can’t wait to see what’s next, because it’s only getting bigger.
Thank you all so much. I really can’t say that enough.
Love always,
BECKY
