Salon Gives Back to local Children

Dec 2006

Tonight we had our "Holiday Dinner Event" at the Pleasantville Cottage School / Cottage #5….. there we were met by the house mother and other staff….. the house had about 12 girls all ages between 13 and up…. The girls told me that they were very excited for us to come as volunteers for the evening….. The girls at the cottage had decorated the house and put up holiday decorations as well as a Christmas Tree…..

The girls were so grateful that they wanted us to give volunteers a cheer…. So they preformed several cheers for us … their enthusiasm was contagious, Michele broke out and also tried to do the cheer steps.. at one of the cheers, several of the girls actually did splits……

Next event was the gingerbread building project. Everyone gathered around the one table to build the house, and as any good food segment with kids there was some frosting on the face… it was all contained very well and under control by both the staff and the children.

Then we had dinner. The food was Italian by A Mangaurie. So we all sat down at their dinner area for dinner. Next, it was time to give the girls a little early holiday gift…… the girls were so thrilled and then they got their I-Pods, and they went nuts….. they where screaming and crying for joy……… they started jumping up and down and hugging and kissing and thanking everyone……..

At the end of the evening some of the girls got up in front of the Christmas tree and spoke. They wanted to thank us and express their gratitude. Some of the stories were, “I have never had a sit down dinner with my family” and “the last time I helped set up a Christmas tree I was five and I witnessed my grandmother have a seizure and die. Since than Christmas has not been the same, but today you have help me get back into the sprit of Christmas”. Another child express “that the only time in the past that I would cry is when bad things happen and today for the first time am crying for something good, thank you all”.

Boy that was emotional yesterday…… so here are my observation of the event on Monday Dec 11 2006 at the Pleasantville Cottage School….

I know last night that there were special connections made by us and the children…. The girls were asking the house mother for specific volunteers, all that attended where touched in a very special way to be able to give back a little to our local children.

On behalf of myself and my family, I want to thank everyone including my extended family for being there for us and the children. Also all the friends, clients and strangers for the great support that we have received until now,… and to remind everyone that the “Holiday Gift Drive” is still going on. We will be collecting gifts until the January 6 2007.

Thank you once again for your support.

"J" Alberto