Mutualistic Example: My Nationwide Twirling Campaign for AHA

Happy American Heart Month!

This Month I was inspired by the partnering of the Miss American Organization and the American Heart Association to advocate for women's heart health. I didn't know that Cardiovascular Disease is the number one killer for women, even though it can be preventable with lifestyle changes. Baton twirling has always served as my outlet to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle and this inspired me. I was practicing for my Miss Florida talent with my coach, Shaylie Fawcett, when I shared my idea for an upcoming twirling campaign. I didn't have all the details yet, but I knew I wanted to promote awareness for American Heart Month by encouraging twirlers to wear red. She loved the idea and helped me spread it to the public. Shaylie owns Only Twirlers, both a social media account and a twirling apparel company. With over 9,000 followers, this popular twirling Instagram was the perfect outlet to share my campaign. I designed a little graphic, set a date, and collaborated with Only Twirlers. The only thing left to do was wait, and also reach out to all my favorite twirlers ;)

On Friday, February 17th, I was shocked to receive so many notifications from twirlers across the nation! The first video was sent in from Michigan and was the cutest 6-year-old I had ever seen. Videos and photos were also sent in from a variety of amazing college twirlers from Iowa, West Virginia, Mississippi, Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, Missouri, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and Michigan. A large number of these twirlers are both national and world baton twirling champions! I am thankful to all the twirlers who took the challenge and supported such a worthwhile cause.

If you would like to see a video compilation with all the mentioned twirlers, check it out here: https://fb.watch/iPXk50SBY-/

I recommend clicking the settings icon and selecting HD or 720p for the best viewer experience...

Now how is this a mutualistic example?!

As I have previously mentioned, a mutualistic relationship occurs when both involved parties benefit from the interaction. This means that both the individual and the involved community are benefitting. I personally benefitted because I was able to share my passion for twirling, while also getting to connect with numerous twirlers. I made several new twirling friends from the experience and was able to share baton twirling on a larger scale. The post has reached over 4,000 accounts on Instagram, which I would consider a great success for this campaign!!! The goal was to spread awareness to as many people as possible and I didn't realize the possible impact it could hold. This number is also added to through Facebook, but I didn't know how to accurately measure the stats on that platform. Not only did I perform a project I was passionate about, but I was also able to help discuss and advocate healthy lifestyles.