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pc: the six
cents initiative
Hey Y’all! Cortney is my name, but you all can call me Coco if you’d like! Ferris is my last name, and yes my great great grandfather did invent the Ferris Wheel! Just kidding, he did not, but my name really is Cortney Ferris! I am a Senior at the University of Texas, and am presently on my way to obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences. With this degree, I would like to work with children who are in foster care. I am not sure in what capacity I would like to work, I just know for sure that I want to help children into their forever homes. Apart from school, work, and of course CKI, I love photography, playing tennis, shopping, and hanging out with family and friends! I love neon colors, but my favorite of all is purple! My favorite quote: “Shoot for the moon! Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars!”
I am so excited to be serving as your 2013-2014 UNICEF Six Cents Initiative Service Ambassador for Circle K! Many people are not as familiar with Six Cents, as some of the other charities that CKI works with. My aspiration this year is to change that! Six Cents is a partnership solely between Circle K and UNICEF. There are no other branches of the Kiwanis family working towards the goal of raising $500,000 by 2015. With that said, let me explain what the aim of Six Cents Initiative is. Bringing the most basic element of life is the goal of this initiative. By providing clean water and sanitation methods to the most deserving of communities, it’s the hope that one day all people will be able to access the clean water that we may sometimes take for granted. This mission is done by many outlets, the most basic being the distribution of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS). Costing just seven cents each (used to be six, hence the initiative’s name) these packets, mixed with clean water, are taken orally to combat the effects of life-threatening diarrhea. Apart from these packets, money raised goes to purchase water filters for schools, containers for transporting water, and water kits for families. The great thing about Six Cents is that anyone can get involved. From conserving water to raising funds, Six Cents is the perfect opportunity to make a lasting impact on your community and the World!
With some of the other charities that CKI works closely with, it’s easy to find a hands-on service project that benefits said charity. With Six Cents, it’s a bit more difficult. With any charity that supports a World where everyone has access to clean water, the number one thing we can do in our own homes is to conserve water! There are many websites that give water conservation tips, however I found that THIS ONE is very user friendly, and social media supported! Listed, there are over 100 tips that you can utilize everyday in order to save the Worlds water supply. Apart from simple water conservation, the most important way to help support Six Cents is to raise funds. With school back in session, I’m sure that many of you are grabbing a quick cup of java, or picking up a convenient lunch at your favorite restaurant. Just imagine if you skipped out on one of those pleasures each week. The last Starbucks frap I ordered cost me around $4 US. With that $4, I could have helped provide 57 children with an ORS packet. That’s 57 lives saved, just through one weekly sacrifice. Having a 16 week semester, it has the potential to help save 912 lives! Another easy project that combines awareness and fundraising is to sell bottles of water during your college’s sporting events/tailgating. On each bottle of water, tie a small paper that has a water fact and explains how many lives are being saved by the purchase of that bottle of water. For example, if you sold each bottle for $1: “1 liter of safe drinking water is enough for one child for 40 days. With the purchase of this water bottle, you are helping UNICEF provide 40 liters of water to children who lack access.” In Texas, a 24 pack of water can cost around $3. If your chapter of 15 had each member donate a 24 pack of water, you could potentially raise $360 for Six Cents! That’s 5142 children your chapter could help save from deadly water-borne illnesses. When you look at the numbers, it’s exciting to know that you can save so many children and families!
There’s much more that I could say, but they only gave me one page! I am looking forward to serving you this year! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me by any means. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! With your help, we can give Six Cents the attention it deserves, and reach our fundraising goal of $500,000 by 2015.
SERVICE AMBASSADOR
cortney ferris