My younger sister, who is a college student, is exactly like I would be if I were far less jaded and much more pure of heart (not to mention blond, blue-eyed, liberally freckled across the bridge of my nose and very, very thin). She's an extraordinarily special person whose gift for compassion and devotion to community service amazes and inspires me every time I speak with her. Lately, GlamourGals has often come up in our conversations.
As she tells it:
I got involved in GlamourGals because the young woman who started it is a fellow Cornell student, and she came to speak to my sorority when she was graduating and wanted to expand the foundation by encouraging on-campus organizations to get involved with the program through their philanthropy efforts.
I enjoy it because I get to hear funny stories from the fabulous old ladies that we go to do makeovers for at a local nursing home every two weeks. I like it because it's a great way to become more involved with my community, and it's so wonderful to see how happy they are afterwards. We start with facials, and then apply make-up and do manicures and hand massages. They always say they feel like new people and they can't wait to show off to their friends and fellow residents. I can't wait to go back.
I think it's a great program because glamour is timeless, and GlamourGals helps to build a bridge between generations. Lots of ladies are already waiting downstairs for us when we get there every time. When we say, "How did you know we were coming?" They say, "It's Sunday!" and laugh and smile.
Yesterday, I received a small package from her that included chocolate she brought back from Cancun, a torn-out page from a law forum program with pink highlighter notations and hearts drawn around the bio of an apparently quite sexy and brilliant international relations professor, and a tube of the best lipgloss I've ever encountered, perfect for tonight's benefit party for The Civilians.
I called to thank her for the chocolate, gloss and thoughtful if unlikely romantic lead -- essentially the perfect pick-me-up any way you look at it, and she told me that a chic cosmetics firm had pledged to donate half of the proceeds from each sale of the lipgloss this spring to the GlamourGals Foundation. My sweet sister, who works as many hours at her part-time job as she can while balancing a rigorous academic schedule and a full social calendar, had paid money out of her own admittedly slim pockets to support what she believes is a very worthy cause.
She thought that the fundraiser was over, but while we were chatting on the telephone I checked out Maven Cosmetics and discovered that the special offer actually continues until May 31st. Each purchase for yourself or a glamourous friend of the delectable gloss that is my newfound addiction will send an astonishingly generous 50% of the proceeds directly to GlamourGals:
Maven announces a Spring 2005 Fundraiser to benefit
Foundation. Maven will donate 50% of the proceeds of each Mint Everest Lip Gloss purchase from February 1st until May 31st to GlamourGals.
GlamourGals Foundation, Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to bridge the generational gap between young adults and their elders through the joy of a shared experience - the application of makeup. Through GlamourGals facials and makeovers, young adults and older women are able to open their hearts and minds to share stories and life experiences with one another. Find out more at GlamourGals.org.
The gloss is mint-ily fetching and quite alluring, and the program's equally charming in its aims and achievements -- and both are v. glamourous, natch!
I'm wondering what kind of gloss it was. An I feel how you love your sister from the way you described her)
Posted by: Hannita | January 09, 2006 at 01:56 PM