Taryn's Ride For Kids Speech
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Good Morning Everyone! I want to start off by thanking all of you for riding and volunteering on this special day. I feel honored to be here: sharing my experiences with Crossroads for Kids and helping out at such an incredible event as the Rodman Ride. It's great to see so many people committed to a brighter world.
My relationship with Crossroads began in 2004 when I was just 10 years old. At first, I was insecure, with low self-esteem, and angry. This changed because of the dedicated staff who never gave up on me. Crossroads for Kids has given me life changing opportunities, supplied a 2nd family, and given me a home away from home. My first summer motivated me to focus on my future and school so that I could one day become a part of the year-round Crossroads C5 Leadership program.
Crossroads for Kids helped me find my voice and learn how to use it. Before C4K, you'd never catch me singing camp songs and looking like a fool in front of people. I found confidence in a world where people accepted me for who I was. Soon, I learned who I wanted to be: someone who could change the world, someone silly yet mature, and someone focused on making something of herself. I take being a role model to my younger brother, Tyrique, very seriously. I understand that to lead, a person has to practice what they preach and follow through with their actions. I learned all of this from my role models at Crossroads.
Crossroads for Kids has offered me many life-changing opportunities: participating in a two-week long Wyoming Wilderness Trek in the back country, going on college tours around the country, participating in amazing community service opportunities, and being invited to meet with executives at innovative companies like Hill Holiday. Crossroads for Kids has given me the ticket to see the world. Now, I understand that everything is within reach if I work hard.
Supporting the Rodman Ride means supporting youth like ME. Crossroads for Kids gave me the space and opportunities to grow. When you ride those 25, 50, or 100 miles, you build resources and opportunities for youth around Massachusetts. I cannot thank you enough for believing in me, believing in all of the kids you are riding for today, and for truly taking the time to give back to your community. Without your support, I don't know where I would be today.
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