Inspiring night at the UNICEF Snowflake Ball

Suzanne Wilcox is a Champion for Children flight attendant volunteer for UNICEF's Change for Good program on American Airlines. I am based in New York at JFK and fly internationally.  Most of the time, I fly to Paris. At the end of every flight, I take a few minutes to play a video highlighting UNICEF’s lifesaving work and make an announcement for the Change for Good program.  I collect donations on our international flights for UNICEF to help save the lives of children all over the world.  I have two children myself and can't think of a better way to end a flight.  I am impressed with the generosity of my customers  every time I collect donations. Sometimes a donation is a coin, and sometimes it is one hundred dollars. I know that every penny I collect will benefit so many children.  I really believe that every penny counts.  After all, just 7 cents can buy a sachet of oral rehydration salts.  Although 7 cents is nothing to most people, it makes a difference to that one person receiving this life saving measure. I had the opportunity to attend the UNICEF Snowflake Ball in New York City at Cipriani 42nd Street this year with another flight attendant Champion for Children, Martin Beltran.  This was such an amazing event.  Under the twinkling lights and the mosquito netting there was a lot of beauty in the glamorous guests dressed up for the night, but there was also the inner beauty shining in those who give their time and money to make a difference in the lives of children.  There were ‘Get Inspired’ cards at every table.  These cards offered information and a chance to make a small or large purchase of a life-saving supply that will be shipped to one of more than 150 countries where UNICEF works.  Imagine that for the price of lunch, a person could buy a malaria bed net.  UNICEF is making a difference in the lives of so many.  I am inspired to spread the word at work and at home.  I make an effort to collect on every flight that I work and to tell fellow American Airlines flight attendants how easy it is to sign up to be a volunteer.  When a passenger asks to borrow my pen, I like to lend my UNICEF pen and explain a little bit about the Change for Good program.  I continue to teach my children about giving back to the world.  We have been given so much and we feel it is important to give something back.  What an honor it was to attend this event with such wonderful people. I hope to read many more stories about how UNICEF is saving the lives of children in the future.