UPDATE: Another voting day has been added. Vote on February 15!
The 3B Ripples Program has been accepted and chosen as one of the Top 15 LEAD360 Challenge projects for the Jefferson Awards Foundation. The top 3 projects will get activated on a national level which will help me to really make my dream come true of expanding Brae’s Brown Bags across the nation by getting kids everywhere involved in 3B Ripples!
Mom says we are each a pebble. And each of our pebbles can make a ripple. Together I really believe we can make a tidal wave.
And one of the coolest things is that Delaware, which is where I am from, we have 5 of the top 15.
Go Delaware!
Hunger and Poverty: Braeden Mannering-The 3B Ripples, Sarah Shoup-Knights Pantry
Health and Wellness: The Jefferson School-Care For Our Vets, Gallaher Elementary- School Recycling
Peace and Justice: Chase Marvil- The Inspiring Project
My mom told me this morning that if I didn’t wear layers and dress properly the cold weather would hurt my skin. Of course I didn’t believe her because when I went outside I wasn’t cold. But then she told me it was because I was dressed right. Moms!
It’s really cold. Like, really, really cold. The app on my phone said it was 2 degrees but with the wind it felt like -18 degrees.
We have been packing up 3B bags for the emergency shelters. I wish there was more I could do. I put hand warmers in the bags but that won’t help when it is this cold, at least not a lot. The Friendship House says, “Over the last two winters, the number of people seeking sanctuary on bitterly cold nights has dramatically grown and become more diverse.” You can donate to the Friendship House to help or you can volunteer. For a current list and donation drop off options call 302-652-8133 for the Friendship House. You can also donate to 3B, we’ve been running out of hand warmers and food and buying them multiple times each week.
So a couple things to talk about. I don’t have school today because it is President’s Day but that doesn’t mean I won’t be busy.
This is me with Danielle Gletow
Last weekend, my Mom and me, we went to Atlanta, Georgia for the Kids Are Heroes Youth Leadership Summit. I had a good time. I met a lot of people. Even a boy from India. There were hundreds of kids there all doing cool things. Some of them are business type things, like this boy who has an ice cream cart and sells ice cream. A lot of the people I talked with all do things like help to fight against bullying or helping to raise money for malaria or cancer or down syndrome. Oh and Danielle Gletow who is a CNN Hero and she helps grant wishes to foster kids with her foundation called One Simple Wish.
The airport lost my presentation. Luckily our hotel was near an Office Max. My Mom and me worked on creating a new tri-fold until 10pm the night before I was to present. I got green glitter everywhere. Really.
I gave a talk during the summit and I think I did well. My Mom recorded some of it. You can watch or listen on my YouTube page. There are some pictures too at the bottom of this post.
Also my project is one of the top 15 up for a national #LEAD360 Jefferson Award. Very exciting! There has been social voting where you can support Brae’s Brown Bags and the voting ends tonight at 8pm. Please vote for Brae’s Brown Bags 🙂
Then tonight I’m giving a presentation at the University of Delaware to the Kappa Omicron Nu Honor Society. My Mom has class so she won’t be there but she’ll be in the same building. I think I’ll do good though. I like the students at UD they are always really nice.
We have a meeting with the Food Bank of Delaware on Wednesday about the upcoming regional hunger conference. We’re going to talk about the kid track. My friend Tanya Steel will be on the call. I am happy about that.
When I have a chance to go to the YMCA in Bear I like to go in the youth wellness center. They give you blue cards and show you different exercises. I like to play the activities with other kids, too. I know it has been hot out and so it’s not as fun running around outside, but it’s still important.
On Mother’s Day my Mom said she wanted to delivery some Brae’s Brown Bags to the Emmanuel Dining Room. Really I thought she would want to take a break, but it was important to her.
So we brought 60 bags to the soup kitchen. 10 of the bags were child bags and we put books and also the bubble fruit flavored toothpaste from the travel size donations my dentist gave us. We ran out of kid bags, there were a lot of kids there on Sunday. There were grown ups who asked for toothpaste also so I need to remember that for next time. Maybe if we have extra we can put them in more of the bags.
The LEAD 360 Challenge with the Jefferson Awards is still going through public voting of the top 27 finalists across the nation. I have been trying to remind people they can vote every 24 hours. So I thought I would say it on here, too. It’s easy to vote. You click the link and click the orange button that says vote, that’s all.
Also you should look at the other finalists, too because all of them are doing really good things for people, animals and the earth.
Coming up I am participating at the University of Delaware’s Day of Service. I will have a table. I got an email from a girl named Amanda who is part of Alpha Phi Omega. She said it would be nice if I could come. I will bring the display I used at Ag Day.
I was supposed to update my blog last night to let everyone know that 3B: Brae’s Brown Bags is one of 27 super awesome service projects around the nation. There is a voting contest happening right now to choose the top 5 and those 5 will go to Washington, DC for a national ceremony. But I had school and then I had football practice and I completely forgot to write.
This morning I had the fun of watching my Mom try to tie a tie. I have two concerts today, I’m part of chorus at Keene and we are doing our Spring concerts for different grades today and I dressed up. I wanted to wear my blue tie and I asked her and she looked at me like I was crazy. So then I walked into the kitchen and I saw her trying to tie the tie on herself by looking at an image she found on google. I have to say she ended up getting it so thank you Mom.
More on the 360 Challenge with the Jefferson Awards. Like I said there are 27 really great projects that do good things for people, lots of people. I am happy and humbled that Brae’s Brown Bags is part of it.
There is a voting challenge which began yesterday and you can vote for your favorite project and the top 5 will be invited to attend the national ceremony in Washington, DC.
It’s really cold. Like, really, really cold. The app on my phone said it was 2 degrees but with the wind it felt like -18 degrees.
When I have a chance to go to the 
There is a voting challenge which began yesterday and you can vote for your favorite project and the top 5 will be invited to attend the national ceremony in Washington, DC.