North Bay teen uses soccer juggling skills to raise money for pediatric cancer patients
MARIN COUNTY -- This week's Jefferson Award winner is a North Bay college student who has spent more than half her life raising money for pediatric cancer patients.
Hollis Belger tells her soccer juggling students at Redwood High in Larkspur that her personal record is more than 7,000 foot taps in a row: she's kept the ball in the air without dropping for an hour and 16 minutes.
"That is the key to my juggling success," Belger said. "I juggle for a purpose."
A purpose that has driven the 18-year-old since she was nine years old.
"It was actually my Mom who thought it was important that I recognize that there were other kids just like me who couldn't go to school or couldn't play sports because they were sitting in a hospital bed," Belger said.
At the time, she had started soccer juggling.
And she kicked around the idea of using that talent to raise money for pediatric cancer patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
She named her program Juggling for Jude.
"I was like, 'OK, maybe I could raise a thousand dollars.' And I ended up raising $30,000 in the very first summer. From that moment on, I knew it was not going to be a one-time thing. It was going to be a part of my life forever," said Belger.
In nine years, she's raised more than $665,000 for St. Jude.
The money pays for patients' treatment, travel, housing and food so their families don't receive a bill.
St. Jude Northern California philanthropic advisor Emily Schlesinger has watched Belger's dedication grow.
"She's such an amazing advocate for the work she's doing so often people can't believe how young she is," said Schlesinger.
Belger now works with her and West Territory Vice President Christine Ackermann to help St. Jude reach out to Generation Z.
"She is the model for the future generation of philanthropists and leaders. And I think with what's happening with society today around the world, she's a breath of fresh air," Ackermann.
Belger speaks at schools several times a month.
She urges young people like 11-year-old Madi Revell to serve others.
"I know a friend, and he's disabled, and she's inspired me to help him more and it feels good to help others," said Revell.
Belger juggles a busy schedule from teaching to juggling for funds to interning with a philanthropic consulting firm.
She even met First Lady Dr. Jill Biden in London as a representative of former President Bush's Daily Points of Light organization.
Wherever she goes, Belger, who will enter Stanford University this fall, sparks a passion for service.
"Embrace it, and think about it. And try to find your purpose and derive your purpose from that and from giving," she said.
So for raising funds for St Jude's Children's Hospital and inspiring young people to live a life of service, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Hollis Belger.
