As each month draws near, I get the same feeling of "Oh, what will I write about this time?" This time I found my inspiration in a very strange place.
I was sitting in a packed theatre watching the normal previews and trivia questions, but this time the overtones of little children’s voice giggling and laughing at the previews. I was there with my wife and two kids to see “The Lorax” by the beloved Dr. Suess.
My children are older now so I have not read these books to them in quite a while, but I was drawn back to my childhood of the whimsical rhymes and the fun I had reading these books to my kids. While the analogy of this children's fable is uncontrollable greed and the potential impact on the environment, I took a different angle from the book.
The most impactful part, if you recall, was the Once-ler trying to understand why the Lorax left a small pile of rocks with a sign simply saying “UNLESS.” As most of you know, the Once-ler finally understands after he had explained the whole story to the young boy seeking why the world as he knows it is so run down. As the Once-ler finishes his story it all becomes clear to him about “UNLESS,” “UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, It’s not.” Pretty powerful words if you think about it.
So where am I going with this? The Chamber and the City not only help the business community, but also the youth. The chamber sponsor and support great programs and nearly 30,000 students have participated in one or more of these programs such as Choices, mentors, Career & College Fair – Alternatives to a 4-year College, Future Business Leaders, $2,500 Powell Grant, and $20,000 Destiny Scholarship.
It is incredibly important that we continue to groom our youth into future leadership roles. Take a moment to visit our website to see the impact this has made on several of our promising youth at http://www.sfschamber.com/pages/AboutYouthEnrichmentFund.
As we continue to pull ourselves out of this long winded recession, remember that we still need to feed the future. Trust that the chamber youth programs are dedicated to making a lasting, positive impact in every child’s life.
You can show your support by attending the elegant Youth Enrichment Fund dinner and auction on June 29th at Angel Stadium in Anaheim or by making a tax deductible donation. Know that your time, talent or treasure you provide is going in a small part to heeding the Lorax’s warning of “UNLESS.” For more information about the Youth Enrichment Fund dinner/auction or to make a tax deductible donation to YEF, call Sue Grana at 562/944-1616 or e-mail her at grana@sfschamber.com.
I want to take this time to thank you in advance for helping us achieve our goals and for caring about the destiny of the Santa Fe Springs youth.
JIM CUSICK
CHAMBER PRESIDENT
