January 7, 2019
Student Spotlight: Sarah Eckert
The holidays are a time of giving and to put aside your own wants and desires to focus on the needs of others. This past holiday season Sarah Eckert, a Management major from Greenville, NC, did just that. She is a determined young lady on a mission — well actually, she’s on two missions.
Beginning last November, Sarah spear-headed a drive to collect items for children at Vidant Medical Center and elderly residents at Cypress Glenn Retirement Facility. Some of the items collected include toys, stuffed animals, puzzles, socks and blankets. This holiday tradition began with her grandparents, Daniel and Regina Eckert, who dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Clause when making deliveries to the children and elderly. In 2012, after her grandmother died, she stepped in to assist her grandfather by collecting money for toys to distribute and when her grandfather passed, Sarah decided to continue the drive single-handedly and gave it the official name “Hearts of Gold”. She has been encouraged by others to make it a true non-profit organization.
Sarah’s dedication to serve others extends to the canine world too. She is interested in opening an indoor dog park and kennel facility with the goal of reducing the rate of the euthanized animal population. To do this, she has adopted a mentor through PCC and is also looking for a mentor at ECU. She plans to seek advice and guidance from the Miller School of Entrepreneurship to help her reach her entrepreneurial goals.
If you would like to get involved with Sarah’s causes, please contact her at eckerts16@students.ecu.edu. We wish her the best in her endeavors!