Holiday season is upon us where the exchange of gifts, love and laughter is in abundance. Also in store is the great act of giving. We’ve all heard the phrase “when you do good you feel good” and it is certainly true. Giving cultivates gratitude and when you express gratitude you not only increase your own optimism but other people’s as well. A simple gesture can go a long way for an individual and this is truly reminiscent of the holiday season. Coming together with those near and dear to show compassion and appreciation for one another through the act of giving. Though we should practice small acts of kindness everyday, there is one day in particular dedicated to this act, Giving Tuesday.
The Big Event at FSU, Relay For Life of FSU and The Florida State University Student Foundation honored Giving Tuesday and was certainly in the Spirit of Giving while doing so. On December 1st, these notorious philanthropy and service organizations joined together in kicking off the month of giving with various share-it nights at Tallahassee’s most notorious restaurants: Barberitos, 4Rivers, Zoe’s Kitchen and BurgerFi. Ten percent of customers’ purchases were split evenly between each of these organizations. Each organization may be of different name, but they certainly share one significant commonality: to give back and show appreciation for the community and the students, faculty and staff from within.
The Big Event serves as the official community service event for the Florida State University Student Government, one of the largest in the nation. Students and faculty participate in this annual four-hour event as a means of showing appreciation for the community through the performance of various service acts. These include but are not limited to completing yard work, collecting trash, tutoring students and washing windows. The Big Event’s mission is simply to say “thank you” so what better way than through acts of gratitude.
Relay For Life of FSU is an annual 18-hour event where participants walk the track continually throughout the night to represent a patient’s journey and raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Relay For Life of FSU will be celebrating its 31st year and hopes to reach a fundraising goal of $300,000.
The Florida State University Student Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the enrichment of the Florida State University and its students. Fully student run and operated, this organization was created to transform the way students give back to their community. Since its founding in 2010, students have raised over $400,000 to support student development programs including but not limited to the Garnet & Gold Scholar Society, Student Food Pantry, Student Veterans Initiatives and Research Grants.
Giving can evoke a ripple effect by inspiring others to give as well. In other words, it amplifies the notion of paying it forward. Whether it’s calling a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, providing spare change for someone in need or simply leaving a note wishing one a great day, you’ll be giving back more than you might know. Lets all give back this holiday season!