Bridging Worlds
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Cole Goldstein. I am currently a junior at Orchard Park High School in Orchard Park, NY.
Welcome to my Bridging Worlds GoFundMe Campaign! It is dedicated to making Bald Head Island a more inclusive and accessible community. Bald Head Island is a "golf cart only" island off the coast of Wilmington, North Carolina. My parents have been going there since 2001, and I have spent every Thanksgiving and summer there since I was born. Its beauty has made an imprint on my heart and in my soul. That’s why it’s important to me that it is accessible to everyone.
Over the years, I have noticed the lack of accessibility for people with disabilities on the island. This became especially frustrating and heartbreaking for my family when my Aunt Michelle, who we have always traveled with, could no longer join us because her Multiple Sclerosis had advanced. As I grew up, I could see her disease making it more and more difficult for her to get around on the Island. It's my dream that my Aunt Michelle and others suffering from diseases like MS would be able to return to Bald Head Island and enjoy a better quality of life.
The one thing you can never get back in life is quality time with your loved ones. I am determined to try to solve this problem. After some research, I discovered that there are wheelchair-accessible golf carts available--but the island has none.
My vision is to rally together to raise funds for the purchase of several wheelchair-accessible golf carts! My current GoFundMe goal is to raise $50,000 dollars to purchase these vehicles. These golf carts will not only be a huge help to my family, but a major, and potentially life-changing opportunity, for the community of Bald Head Island.
In addition to this GoFundMe initiative, I will also use my passion and talents in Astrophotography to create a 2024-2025 wall calendar with my favorite space images on display. I have spent countless nights dedicated to my love of the cosmos. I have been photographing the sky for the past three years, and this is my creative way of bridging the worlds on sky and land to people.
On my website I am asking for a donation of $50 dollars per calendar. They will be available to purchase on my website by June 1, 2024.
100% of the donations raised by the GoFundMe and the calendar sale will be dedicated to this campaign and the purchase of the golf carts on Bald Head Island.
Edit: Hey guys! I’m never been so excited to go to Bald Head Island this year! The calendar sales and GoFundMe sales are going great and I hope there is more so come. Thank god it’s summer and HUGE THANKS to everyone! These donations are amazing and a huge help to me and the community of Bald Head Island. More to come soon!
-Cole Goldstein
Follow me on my Astrophotography Instagram!
Linked down below
Thank you for helping me bridge the worlds and hopefully change lives,
Cole Goldstein
Organizer
Cole Goldstein
Organizer
Orchard Park, NY