Making a Difference

From the moment our first guest speaker, Deanna McKinley, Public Relations Coordinator for Frito-Lay stood up and introduced herself to our class, I knew she wasn’t going to be our typical speaker. She had something about her. Maybe it was her bubbly, somewhat silly personality, or the way she could relate to us, but I knew I was going to like her. And boy was I right. Deanna’s contagious enthusiasm about her job got me excited about the possibilities awaiting me after graduation. It doesn’t have to be scary. Deanna reminded us to never be afraid, to start small and to live with no regrets. 

           

As I began to think about everything she talked to us about, the one thing that stayed with me the most was her story about a St. Claire Shores resident, Michelle “Mickey” Wynn. When Deanna was asked by one of our classmates what her most memorable moment or campaign at Frito-Lay was, her answer was simply refreshing and inspiring. Instead of bringing up a huge campaign or a big promotion, she told us about a woman named Mickey who had been sick with Lupus and was in desperate need for a new roof on her house (or she would be evicted). When Deanna heard about this, and the fact that she was having so much trouble raising money for help, it made her sick to think about. But Deanna didn’t just think about it for a minute and move on. She took action. She immediately called some of her connections in Frito-Lay and asked them what they could do to help. They got a crew together and made Mickey’s roof their community service project.

...here's a link to the story: http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles/2010/10-20-10/Shores-motown-makeover.asp

           

Edward Everett Hale once said, “I am only one, but I am one.  I cannot do everything, but I can do something.  And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. “ I believe this quote says is it all. Deanna did what she could with what she had, and although she didn’t fix every roof in the country, she made a difference in one person’s life, and that is worth a whole lot. I think people forget that sometimes. They get caught up in the idea that you have to make a big splash to make a difference, but often times the smallest of actions can add up to make more of a difference than you could even imagine.