This article appeared in Parents and Kids, the July 2006 issue.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Meet Julie Sargent, a 7th-grade student at West Boylston Middle School. Instead of spending her summer at Red Sox games (she’s a big fan) or playing with friends, she is setting off on a fundraising adventure with her family this August to raise money for USAdoption Solutions. Julie is one of 10 children. She is not adopted, but has 7 adopted brothers and sisters. They will be driving from Massachusetts to Alaska’s Denali National Park, to help the 500,000 children in foster care get permanent homes.
P&K: How did you come up with this idea?
Julie: I was watching the Ellen Degeneres show one day and I saw a little girl (Makenzie Snyder - Childrentochildren.org)who was giving bags and stuffed animals to kids in foster care. This really got me thinking, USAdoption Solutions needs to raise $3 million dollars. My family drives to Montana every summer and it was my idea to go a little farther to Alaska and to use our family trip as a fundraising event. We will be traveling 10,000 miles to raise awareness for our cause.
P&K: How do you plan to find donors during your trip?
Julie: I am looking for people to pledge me for every 1,000 miles traveled. Some people are pledging $1/1,000 miles with a pledge of $10. If I can get 100,000 people to pledge me $10, then I am already at $1 million dollars.
P&K: What would you tell people who are thinking of adopting a child?
Julie: It’s the best thing you can do. Kids out there need a loving home.
P&K: Why is this cause so important to you?
Julie: Kids need parents. They need someone to watch their school shows and come to their baseball/soccer games.
P&K: How can people donate to your cause?
Julie: They can go on USadoptionsolutions.org or .com and make a donation for the Drive to Denali or they can download a pledge sheet and ask their friends and family to help too. I am trying to get on the Ellen Degeneres show. She is my personal hero. I hope that by sending letters and doing the trip, she hears about my cause and interviews me on her show. That would be the best day ever!