On Giving Tuesday, Carie Lemack, DreamUp’s Cofounder and CEO shares what Giving Tuesday means to her and how DreamUp is giving the gift of space. Join our campaign!
What does “giving” mean to you? It’s a question top of mind today, on this Giving Tuesday. This annual commemoration started five years ago to celebrate the great American tradition of giving. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, people are encouraged to donate to organizations of their choice, to provide a counterpoint to the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
So what does giving mean to me? It means providing opportunities for hope, for growth, for an experience that goes beyond the immediate and has lasting impact for days, months and even years. It’s the type of giving my first grade teacher gave when she wheeled a television into our classroom to let me and my class watch the first space shuttle land, sparking an interest in space I’ve enjoyed since. It’s the type of giving astronauts provide each time they answer a student’s question or participate in a downlink from the International Space Station to speak with groups of learners on Earth.
This Giving Tuesday, I hope you find a way to inspire those around you, or those who will come after you, to better their lives and reach for the stars. I’ll be giving to DreamUp’s “Give One Get One” campaign that provides space-based educational opportunities to low-income schools. Who knows, the next Alan Shepard or Mae Jemison might be amongst those who benefit from the contribution. Imagine how they’ll give back to our society, and then realize the power and legacy of Giving Tuesday.
