By Catherine Reynolds, intern for Wyndham WorldwideWyndham Worldwide in Parsippany, NJ, has named Christel House as one of its three charities of choice. RCI, based in Carmel, Indiana, is owned by Wyndham Worldwide. Christel DeHaan, Founder of Christel House, started RCI in 1974. Today, RCI has more than three million members worldwide, who enjoy dream vacations at RCI's 3,700+ affiliated resorts.
Last night I watched the movie, “The Blind Side,” with my sister, and we were both touched and moved by this incredible true story. For those of you who haven’t seen it (and I highly recommend that you do), the movie is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a boy growing up homeless before he is taken in by a wealthy family. The Tuoy family adopts him, gives him an education and opens up all new opportunities for him, changing his life forever. In the movie, one of Mrs. Tuoy’s friends tells her, “You’re changing that boy’s life.” Mrs. Tuoy responds, “No. He’s changing mine.”
What struck me most about this story is that Michael’s situation is not all that uncommon – but the help the Tuoys gave him IS uncommon. The way that they supported him reminded me of Christel House, one of Wyndham Worldwide’s charities of choice, and the work Christel DeHaan and her team do for impoverished children around the world. While I have not yet had the pleasure of visiting a Christel House, I have had the opportunity to hear the stories of several of the children whose lives have been changed by Christel House: - When Rakshitha came to Christel House, her family did not have electricity. Christel House gave the family electricity so she could study at night. The work paid off: when she was in tenth grade, she went to Naples, Italy, when the student video she helped produce won a film festival prize.
- Frank recently graduated from Christel House Venezuela. When he came to Christel House, he wanted to be a bodyguard. Now he is studying electrical engineering at the prestigious Simon Bolivar University, where he was admitted in the top one percent of incoming freshman.
- Nontando is a 12th grader at Christel House South Africa, and received a scholarship to attend Culver Summer Leadership Camp in Culver, Indiana in 2007 and 2008. In South Africa, her home is so small, only two of the four family members can sleep inside at night.
As Wyndham Worldwide employees, we have all had a hand in helping children like Rakshitha, Frank and Nontando find more opportunities and reach their potential. I personally take pride in working for a company that is so devoted to giving back. Supporting this charity is not a completely selfless act. Helping others and knowing we have a true impact in this world is fulfilling, and helps give our own lives meaning. We are reminded that even small acts of kindness can add up to big change.Whose life are you changing? How are they changing yours?
Labels: Christel House, education, global, partner, Wyndham
posted by Christel House Blog @
3:59 PM
By Catherine Reynolds, intern for Wyndham Worldwide
