A Brilliant Trifecta

On Tuesday of the Republican National Convention, in Ballroom B of the Minneapolis Convention Center, World Vision, The ONE Campaign, and Got Cents hosted Cindy McCain, First Lady Laura Bush, Senator Bill Frist, David Lane, and others at our biggest penny display to date. Building 2,500 caregiver kits and displaying 6,100,000 pennies, the partnership created an inescapable buzz throughout the convention hall all afternoon. The secret-service sweep of the room, the endless reorganization to ensure the best event for all, the briefing of all the teams, and the influx of excited republican convention goers and WV and ONE volunteers added to the already amazing afternoon.

Each partner brought such a unique gift to the party. 

ONE – Nicole, Tyler, Paul (and many others!) – somehow managed to construct beautifully what would have otherwise been a madhouse circus into a once in a lifetime experience to hear the gracious and profound words of Mrs. McCain, First Lady Laura Bush, and Senator Frist regarding our responsibility to take action on behalf of those around the world who are suffering from HIV/AIDS and living in extreme poverty. I believe Mrs. McCain’s words especially inspired us to put aside our politics and focus on the reality of need for many in the developing world. (Watch and listen here!)   [Warning!  This is a long video.  Got Cents? is mentioned several times in the first few minutes, but not thereafter.  All of the speeches are great, however.]

World Vision – Cassie, Dana, Toby (McKesson ☺), Dave, Jason, Jen, Anne, and Debbie masterfully crafted a service experience connecting American leaders with African caregivers that no one will soon forget. The tangible act of building a caregiver kit for one individual caregiver that will enable them to care for 6 or more clients excited even the most skeptical of participants. 

Even our tiny "mom and pop" charity, Got Cents?, faithfully transformed 1220 bags of pennies into an AIDS ribbon representing the 6.1 million sub-Saharan African lives lost to AIDS since our last presidential election. Mouths opened and jaws dropped as people walked through the doors of the ballroom. From outside the ballroom the shimmering pennies drew people inside to ask questions and ponder at the reality that the display captured.

A slew of press began arriving hours before the event in preparation for the VIPS. Most seemed hurried and on a mission as they first walked through the door only to suddenly slow their gait as they took in their surroundings. Although many members of the press dawned cameras, pads of paper, microphones, and laptops, one member of the press stood out from the rest.  Michael Geheren, a thirteen-year-old from Chicago, represented Scholastic News and interviewed me right before our event commenced. What a treat to share a little bit about World Vision, ONE, and Got Cents with a whole host of young teens who constantly burst forth with creative ideas of how to get involved and make a difference in the world. We hope they catch the vision and do even more than we could to fight AIDS and extreme poverty!

We cannot fully express our amazement at the success of this event. Hearing David Lane and Dana Buck’s gracious and supportive words about Got Cents and Mrs. McCain, Mrs. Bush, and Senator Frist’s enthusiasm for the event, the partnership, and fighting AIDS and poverty through service, both humbled and excited us. We met amazingly talented and compassionate people at all levels of government and from all sectors of society. Even more powerful and life changing events will take place because of yesterday’s event – I hope we are able to be a part of it all!