On Monday, I got this letter from a high school girl in North Carolina.
I’m MacKenzie Kiger and I’m the co-president of the CARE Club at my school, Reagan High School, in Pfafftown, North Carolina. When I was in the 9th grade (I’m a junior now) I founded the CARE Club which stands for Cancer Awareness and Research for Everyone.
The CARE Club (MacKenzie is third from left)
We meet as a club once a month and we walk in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure each May. We are having a bake sale this week to raise money for the club so we can do things to raise awareness about breast cancer, with facts like 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer some time in their lives and that men too can get breast cancer. We also want to buy carnations to give out next month along with a brochure about cancer.
Giving away carnations to promote the race
We use our $5 dues to pay for some of the stuff we do and my parents donate money but my dad is out of work so they haven’t been able to donate as much as usual. I read SKIRT magazine and saw the short piece about what you were doing and thought I would at least let you know about the CARE Club.
We have about 40 members and like I said before the club is just three years old and we started with about 10 members. The group wants to do more in the community and school but it is just hard with limited funds. I hope one day I will be in the position to do philanthropy work in my area. Thanks for letting me share about my club. I’m very proud of our work so far.
Yesterday's bake sale for CARE
p.s. Our club also had a “Think Pink” event in October where we painted the school pink (well, not really) but we passed out pink ribbons to all students and put pink ribbons on every 8th locker to represent the 1 in 8 women who will get breast cancer, and we sold THINK PINK t-shirts.
p.p.s. This club is especially important to me because my grandmother died from breast cancer.
Okay, so obviously I’m giving my $100 today to MacKenzie’s irresistibly earnest CARE Club in Pfafftown. How could I refuse? The girls raised $40 at their bake sale yesterday, so this should help them on their way to the Race for the Cure in May. Sweet!
What Gives 
MacKenzie!!!! “You go, girl.” I’m always so impressed with young people who have a vision and carry it through. Yesterday’s blog was about a worm that is almost nonexistant because of people who just continued the fight. With people like MacKenzie, that could be breast cancer some day!
Not only does The Race for the Cure bring awareness to breast cancer but it’s helped me take care of my heart. I started running because my friend who is a SURVIVOR asked me to join her in The Race. I never thought I could run. Well, I can! I even signed up for a 1/2 marathon!! My heart is thanking me!
MacKenzie, you are a very remarkable young woman, and have made the memory of your grandmother an eternal blessing!