World Rare Disease Day - February 28, 2011
As I mentioned in my previous post, my dear friend Julie kicked my butt into really going after the changes I would love to make.
Goal: For my kids’ school to allow jeans to be worn in honor of the Global Genes Project on World Rare Disease Day, February 28, 2011. Even though they are a public school, they do wear uniforms.
I would be so proud to see their school allow the kids to all wear jeans on that day in honor of all those children in the school who have siblings, family, and friends who are affected by childhood rare diseases. The awareness that this could bring, even with just one school, would be HUGE for our city. It would not only enlighten the children about the importance of awareness and research to help other kids, but it would create a wonderful amount of exposure, as it would also educate their parents about rare disease.
The wheels are in motion to try and put this in place. There are some wonderful people helping me with this, believing it is important as well. At this point, it is up to the principal to see if she would be willing to make this exception to their uniform rule. I know it is asking A LOT, I do recognize that. This isn’t an easy decision, I’m sure.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Keeping my fingers crossed that on February 28th, 2011, all the kids in my childrens’ elementary school will be wearing their jeans instead of uniform pants.
They would be wearing their jeans for a specific reason…a conscious decision they made to show that they do believe that children like Hannah deserve a chance at life.
Jeans for Genes… If I don’t ask for help creating awareness, it will never have a chance to happen.
Will it be like they do in an office, the kid has to make a donation to be able to wear jeans instead of a uniform? Love this idea,btw!
I wonder if this could also be a fundraiser. I know that occasionally businesses (Including a local school district) will have a casual day where employees pay a dollar and can wear jeans instead of business attire. What if you approached area businesses and asked if they would do that and donate the proceeds to rare disease research?
No, this is simply an awareness campaign at this point. I am asking them to completely break their uniform policy, which is a big deal. The fact that it is under consideration is a great step forward!
Love the 8idea so much I am thinking. High school kids would pay for tghe privilege of wearing jeans. My oldest son attends a school with strict uniform policy…they love getting their name out there though and I wonder about if I can convince the school to do it, have the media come out…the wheels are spinni8ng carrie. I would like the funraiser to go to the gaucher foundation…what do you think?
Here is the link: http://www.globalgenesproject.org/wearjeans.php As for where the money goes, I’ll send you an email later on tonight with what I am thinking about doing!
Can’t wait to hear about it. Sorry about the typos in the other post, my fingers were overeaching I guess!
Carrie — This would be awesome if you can get them to allow this. You should see all the kid volunteers making denim jeans ribbons — Pfizer helped us get it going this year. If they can’t wear jeans, maybe they could make ribbons before World Rare Disease Day or you could stage a media event where the school allows jeans that one day.
I am going to look into this in my local area too!
Let’s get Harry Reid to wear our ribbon! We’re both in Nevada now!
Chris
I don’t know how the school is with fundraisers, but there’s potential for a little fundraiser there: every kid that wants to wear jeans pays a dollar and the teachers/staff pay five (or something like that). Then all the money goes to the Children’s Gaucher Fund or a similar foundation.