http://blog.al.com/pr-community-news/2011/01/empowering_teen_girls_new_mobile_nonprofit_reaches_out.html
Theresa and I made several calls back and forth and tried to get something set up for her summer camps. We could never work out the details and the idea to help began to fade...
Then, last week, I saw Theresa on the evening news. They were interviewing her in response to a local high school prom video that hit You Tube in which girls were not dancing very nicely, to say the least. I told my husband that I sure hated that I missed that opportunity to help her and her ministry. So, guess who calls me the VERY NEXT DAY? Theresa! She was having her monthly "BFF" sleepover and had thought of me to come and do some art with the girls. How weird is that???? Anyway, I told her I was DEFINITELY interested!
I then enlisted the help of my favorite 10 year old girl artist, Morgan McGehee and her mom Laura. We decided that the girls could paint a cupcake or a ice cream cone, similar to the ones Morgan paints and sells to raise money for a well in Africa. (To see Morgan's work, go here: http://www.facebook.com/TheHopeProjectMobile). We gathered supplies and met at Lights of Empowerment behind a local church on Cottage Hill Road last Friday evening.
The girls were just starting to arrive -- in their pj's and with cute sleeping bags and pillows. They played board games while waiting for all the girls to get there. Theresa said she expected about 20. What a fun night she had planned! Theresa started with a devotional and scripture reading, all designed to encourage the girls that they are all special and beautiful. The girls then had several activities they rotated in groups to: our painting room, face painting, making bead necklaces, a "spa"/personal hygiene area, Wii games, etc. All the while, fun music is playing and girls are busy having fun and doing all the activities. Then, refreshments - nachos, pizza, drinks, cupcakes! As we were finishing up the art room, they had started a limbo game - cue the music "Hot, Hot, Hot..."! :) Wow, what a fun time!! Miss Theresa sure knows how to throw a fabulous sleepover! Alas, us art teachers had not brought our pajamas or sleeping bags, so we had to pack up to go home. As we took this last photo as we left, I had a feeling the party had just begun...
To learn more about Lights of Empowerment, please visit www.lightsofempowerment.com and consider donating your time or talent to this great organization.
