What I Learned From Cookies for a Cause

Prior to Cookies for a Cause, I had never been in charge of anything; I never volunteered for a leadership role in any of the clubs I was in, and felt intimidated to have responsibility on my shoulders. However, after I began Cookies for a Cause, I was greeted with encouragement and help from family and student council, and realized that others wanted my fundraiser to succeed too. I was not alone, and had people who wanted to help me. In addition, they always brought positive emotions when volunteering or talking about the cause. Originally, I was an anxious leader, always worried that too little money would be raised and would snap at volunteers if they were a little quiet or on their phones. The initial environment of Cookies for a Cause was slightly hostile and I regret my treatment of my first few volunteers. I know now that maintaining a positive environment is essential for the success of the fundraiser, and also makes the event much more enjoyable. When selling cookies at the stand, negative energy is easily perceived by possible customers, often driving them away. The negative energy also masks the positive emotions related to fundraising and giving back to our veterans. Our volunteers arrive in good spirits, happy to be at the stand, smiling, and chatty to customers. I have learned a lot from them, and realized that a leader must be calm, positive, and treat volunteers as if they are good friends. If anything, our volunteers are now my friends.

Now that Cookies for a Cause will have been successful for 4 years, I see myself as a successful leader, but acknowledge that without the help of my family and volunteers, there would be little to no accomplishment. I learned that good leaders depend on positivity and teamwork for success, and that with the help of others, taking the initial step forward is manageable. Never let fear of failure turn you away from taking a leadership role or following your dreams; you will regret it later. I am so happy that I ran

this fundraiser. I feel like I grew as a person, found some purpose in my life, and learned to live everyday with a positive outlook.

#positivity #leadership --Jenna Sutton