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| Emily Claudé, CCFI Board President |
A
few years ago, my metaphorical bubble was burst when a little boy came into my
office on an ordinary summer day. A man
carried him in and told us he found him wandering on the road. He called him “Fred.” The boy couldn’t have been more than four
years old, and my coworkers and I took turns playing with him. Although he seemed happy, there was something
heartbreaking about this little boy. He could only communicate in babbles and
gestures. He was soaked in sweat, had a
heavy diaper, and had clearly been outside for a long time. When the police arrived, they told us he
hadn’t been reported missing. I couldn’t
believe it: The parents of this sweet, vulnerable child hadn’t even noticed he
was gone.
There
are hundreds of children like Fred right here in Norman, but most of them never wander outside
the walls of their own home and into the arms of a caring adult. The little boy who walked innocently into my
office that day couldn’t speak for himself.
And even if he could, would he know what to say? We all have different gifts we can contribute
to the cause. You may have contacts in
the community with the ability to make change, you may have time to volunteer,
or you may have resources you can donate.
But we can all speak up for
Fred.
Four
years ago, the Center for Children and Families, Inc. (CCFI) gave me a chance
to invest in its mission and to be a part of something important happening in
this community - something life-altering.
There are struggles, yes. But
there are successes too. And there is no
bigger success story than CCFI. The
Center for Children and Families isn’t afraid of taking chances, making
changes, and investing in the future of this community and all of the little Freds
in it.
So
I will continue to drive to work every day in my bubble, listening to the
imaginary world of my most recent audio-read.
But every day I will emerge with hope and growing compassion for those
whose escape from reality is through the doors of CCFI. I’m grateful for the opportunity the Centerfor Children and Families has given me to invest my time and resources in
such a worthy cause.
I
am privileged to be a part of an organization that encourages blowing bubbles,
not building barriers.
- Emily Claudé, CCFI Board of
Directors President
