The junior's favorite volunteer service is with the Charleston Miracle League, which is an organization that provides the opportunity for mentally and physically challenged kids to participate in an organized baseball league. "Charleston Miracle League is honestly one of the coolest and definitely one of the most worthwhile things I have ever done. To see these children out on the field playing the game--whether catching, throwing, batting, you name it--is just amazing."

Christina first got involved in the Fall 2005 season. She started out as a "buddy" playing the field with the children, but now she is the announcer. She says that she "loves being able to be the one to cheer the players on over the loudspeaker." Christina was also recently named Charleston Miracle League Youth Volunteer of the Year for Optimist International Youth Appreciation Week.

Christina encourages anyone and everyone to volunteer in any way that they can. "It is a beautiful and gratifying experience. Everyone should know how it feels to help and to be helped."

Games are held Saturdays from 9-12 at the field on West Oak Forest Drive. Even though the fall season has just commenced, it will be starting again soon. For more information on the Charleston Miracle League, how to be a volunteer, or where to make donations check out their website at www.CharlestonMiracleLeague.org.

About Christina Callison...
Hometown: Greenwood, S.C.
Degree Objective: Bachelor's degrees in biochemistry and psychology
Expected Graduation: May 2007
What other volunteer activities are you currently involved in? I love to be involved in any way I can! I try to do whatever I can get my hands on. I am President of the Honors Student Association and Vice President of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the National Pre-Medical Honor Society and am working hard to get the members in these organizations to work with me and volunteer locally. Right now I am hanging Christmas lights and cooking for the families at the Ronald McDonald House, holding canned food drives for the Lowcountry Food Bank, "building" Thanksgiving dinner baskets for Crisis Ministries, and volunteering at Convoy of Hope--a local event which offers medical and dental care to families who may not can afford it.
What are you most proud of contributing to your organizations?
Ask anyone and they will tell you that I am always excited. I feel like I bring a high level of enthusiasm and excitement into my organizations. I do not deal with negativity within my organizations--it is all positive and I strive to keep it that way. I love to motivate people, keep the attitude and atmosphere positive, and get everyone else as revved up as I am for whatever it may be that we're gearing up to do. To me, this is the key to a truly successful organization--one that never fails to make a positive impact!
Previous volunteer experience? I have always loved to give, to volunteer. From holding canned good drives in middle school to participating in Relay for Life in high school, I just cannot sit still. In high school I was also really involved on campus and led my school through many local volunteer opportunities--we held trick-or-canning every year, adopted multiple families every Christmas, had canned good competitions among classes to donate to a local soup kitchen, built local homes through Habitat for Humanity, raised charity money for our community--in fact, one year in just one month we raised over $8,000 which was used to build a 10 foot protective brick wall around Meg's House, a home for battered women and children in Greenwood. That was awesome.
What do you enjoy most about community service? The sense of giving selflessly. You're brightening the worlds of all those around you--including yours.
What is your most memorable volunteer experience? Wow. There are so many! I am just absolutely captivated by Charleston Miracle League and the way it touches lives so intimately. This entire season with Charleston Miracle League is my most memorable volunteer experience because I connected with it in a way like nothing else. I mean, clearly it really reached me because I am still talking about it--I am always talking about it. There is just such awesome spirit in everyone involved with Miracle League.
How do you think your friends and family would describe you?
Positive, excited, happy, dedicated, high achiever (well, they know me really well so they'd probably say over-achiever), of strong character, spirited
What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering?
DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! Man, I sound like Nike: Just do it. I promise you it is more than worth it. It really will shape who you are.
What are your plans after you graduate? I love to learn and I love all different areas of study, but I especially love the field of science. I plan to attend medical school after graduating from the Honors College at the College of Charleston with the dream of becoming a neurosurgeon.

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