Seven-Year-Old Sienna is Changing Lives One Cookie at a Time

Seven-year old Sienna engages with the world and lets her curiosity take flight; she is as passionate in pursuing her interests as she is in helping others. She was born into the CAF family. Her mother is on the Advisory Board of Directors and also services on many committees in NYC, helping spearhead the NYC Chapter and gala for the last 11 years.

Sienna has been in tow with her parents for many charitable events over the course of her seven years. She has volunteered at every age, and one summer, when she was nearly five years old, she decided on her own to organize a bake sale to raise money for CAF. Sienna’s focused effort and creativity stemmed from her desire to raise money for her CAF friends. She wanted to feel as though she was personally making a difference. She baked cookies, decorated posters and learned to write new words. She measured ingredients, individually wrapped her cookies, branded them with her own CAF logo, and created a special wallet for the proceeds.

CAF Athlete Matt Graham with Sienna

At a CAF luncheon in New York, it was show time: Sienna greeted customers, told them why she was raising money, sold them cookies, and counted out change. Having raised $242, Sienna beamed with pride as she gave her donation to CAF staff member Doug Olson. She even had her own CAF fundraising page online. While Sienna thought she was raising enough money to buy her young friends a new running leg (approx$15,000) – the actual amount raised didn’t matter. With every cookie baked and sold, she beamed with pride at her contribution to a cause she cared about. Who knew you could change lives with cookies?

Sienna with her parents

“Our mottos in our household are “Do Unto Others” and  “Do With Others” and we believe that every dollar counts and every person’s contribution,  no matter their age, matters. We feel it’s never too early to teach our young ones about community service, philanthropy, helping others, and most importantly empathy,” said Sienna’s parents.

Since Sienna’s bake sale, she has attended numerous events and has volunteered at every opportunity. She has participated in CAF races, assisting staff in organizing gala tables, stuffing goody bags, helping at a local school Caring-in-Action day and more. She has been our youngest volunteer to date. Please help us welcome the next generation at CAF as they will pave the way for many generations to come. Family members who model the way and encourage empathy for others will learn how to become passionate members of a caring community. We can’t wait to see the difference Sienna makes in the future!

If you and your family are interested in supporting Challenged Athletes and our programs like Sienna, there are many options for you to do so.

Here are some ideas:

• In lieu of gifts for your Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Birthday or other milestone, you can raise funds for CAF. In appreciation, we will send you and your family CAF t-shirts and hats.
• For your next local 5K, walk or other event, you can support CAF, and we can provide your family with materials and giveaways
• At your company, whether a dress down Friday fundraiser, Corporate Charity Day, we can have CAF athletes share their stories with your employees as they raise funds for CAF.

Contact Doug Olson, [email protected] for assistance, or get started with your fundraiser. 

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