Written by Guest Contributor, Renatta Gorski | August 4, 2022
To say I had a blessed and privileged childhood is an understatement. I was not wanting for good role models – if I wasn’t following my own older siblings around, rest assured I was following my friends’ older siblings around – or productive ways to fill my time with my peers. I fondly recall summers filled with sports camps and after-school activities with adults who knew and cared about me. I imagine that this practically idyllic childhood experience is familiar to many of you, and in fact is probably one of the reasons you feel called to live generously. This is where the Dynamis Drop comes in: it challenges my thinking and nudges me to reflect on my own generosity.
Living in Chicago reminds me time and again that my circumstances growing up were not the norm. Rather, children who live in underserved communities do not always receive the time, care and guidance that they need to thrive due to circumstances outside of their (and often their caregivers’) control. Even basic things like homework help or opportunities to participate in a club or activity are experiences that many kids can’t enjoy. This barrier that so many children in my own city face troubled me to the point where I wanted to take action. I got connected to the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago (BGCC) because of their mission to provide its members with emotional, educational, physical and cultural resources that allow them to enjoy their childhood and thrive in adulthood. Through some of their very cool programs, kids can build confidence, discover new skills, create meaningful friendships and experience an oasis from the urban pressures of violence and poverty.
I am passionate about creating opportunities for children growing up in under-resourced communities. I know how much a strong support system and an array of opportunities helped me develop, and I want to offer this to others. One way I can do this is by giving my own time and money to organizations such as BGCC that align with my own passions. But there are more ways I can support this mission too. I can also give my own sweat, lungs, legs and physical abilities. You see, I’ve been training for the Chicago Marathon scheduled on October 9, 2022, and I will be running with Team Great Futures and raising funds for the BGCC along the way to help ensure young people of Chicago have the support they need to have a great future. I’m excited to participate in this because not only can I live out my generosity by giving to a cause I am super passionate about, but I can do this by blending it with another activity I am passionate about – running and exercise.
Through this I have discovered that there are so many ways we can be generous towards the things we care about. I’d like to encourage you to find a cause you’re passionate about and be creative in expressing your generosity towards it. Maybe you too would like to run a marathon, or maybe there’s another way you can use your unique gifts and passions to make an impact. The opportunities are endless, it just takes some brainstorming, thinking and inspiration – something that I’ve found happens often when on a good run!
Bio:
Renatta Gorski lives in Chicago and is an attorney for a global law firm. She also serves on the firm’s recruiting committee, working to recruit and onboard law school students and new attorneys. In her free time Renatta enjoys exploring new places on foot during long runs around the city and is currently training to run the Chicago Marathon with a team supporting the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago.
