Articles from Belle Of The Ball

Here are a few articles Orangewood shared with the volunteers.  Hopefully there will be some pictures soon!

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/girls-346841-school-dress.html

http://www.ocmetro.com/t-WHW-Girls-Inc-Belle-of-the-Ball-event-03-29-2012.aspx

In this article, towards the front, left... the girl with her thumbs up... next to her on the left, the girl waving in the teal shirt and black jacket was my first girl!!!!  Im so excited she made it into an article, how awesome!  :)

http://www.coastreportonline.com/campus_news/campus/article_a6f87db4-7931-11e1-8926-0019bb2963f4.html

2012 Belle Of The Ball Event - March 24

I wasnt sure what to expect going into today - but it was basically how I imagined it to be, but a little more hectic.

The Bell Of The Ball is an event put together by three organizations:  Girls Inc, Women Helping Women and Orangewood Childrens Foundation.  I volunteered through Orangewood.  It is an event for underprivileged and foster teenage girls.  They come and go through four sessions during the day.  Three workshops and the fourth session they get to pick a dress, shoes, accessories and a purse for prom, graduation, winter formal - basically any event they choose.  That was the part I was involved in.  

In each group, I had one girl that I worked with.  They had 50 minutes.  There were 2,354 dresses donated this year!  The dresses were on racks, by size, then color, then length.  It was SO organized.   I took my girl in each group to dresses, where they could pick up to 4 dresses to try on at a time.  I got lucky, each of my girls found a dress on the first try.  Then we went and found shoes.  After shoes, they were allowed to go choose one purse and two accessories.  None of my girls came out to show me their dresses except one.  Two of the four girls needed alterations, and they had a few seamstresses on site for minor alterations.  Both of my girls were able to have their dresses altered that needed it.  They went back at the end of the day to pick them up.  They also good goody bags, had their make up done, had a course on stress management, and many other great, positive things during their day.  My mom volunteered as well, and she was a Checkout Attendant.  She saw the girls at the end of my process, and bagged all of their items for them.

The event was extremely organized, but was a little hectic, and a little crowded, but we all managed and I think the girls had a really nice day.  I got lucky and got girls that were happy to be there :)  

My body is extremely sore - but it was worth every ache and pain to see so many girls smiling.

This event started in 2007.  They have grown so much.  I will list the year and how many girls they were able to serve below:

2007  -  100 Girls

2008  -  130 Girls

2009  -  165 Girls

2010  -  210 Girls

2011  -  326 Girls

I cant wait to see how many they helped this year.

There was a strict no photo policy - mainly due to Orangewood, since the girls are in foster care... but I managed to get a couple quick ones in Orientation.  I will try to get more from Orangewood and possibly the OC Register, I would love to share pictures of the dresses and everything so I will check later for some.

Me and my Mom

 Me and Stephanie - another volunteer through the Meetup group I am a member of for volunteering

 My name tag for the day

Mercy House Cold Weather Shelter at the Armory 2/19/2012

I volunteered over the weekend at the Santa Ana Cold Weather Shelter... and the experience was a bit different than the last time I was there.

I brought in a trunk load of donations, which they were so happy about.  I requested to volunteer at the donations table, I like to be able to see people getting things.  Volunteering at this table usually brings stories.  I just stand and listen, and shake my head.  This particular evening there was a gentleman standing next to one of the tables, and he was just staring at me.  He was saying, "Youre so pretty" and asking me a lot of questions.  I didnt really answer most of them, but I did lie and say I had a boyfriend, when he asked.  First he asked if I was married, and another man said, "No, shes not - she has no ring on her finger".  Very observant, lol.  Anyway, he was telling me he was drunk, and that was his problem, he drank too much.  He was telling me he had been in prison for 22 years and had been out about a year and a half... at one point he started dripping sweat, and said it was my fault, because I was so "beautifuls".  I asked him a few times if he was ok, he was sweating so much.  One of the guys I volunteer with stepped in and distracted him and he finally walked away to go get some dinner.  That was not the end of him though, ha ha.  He followed me around the rest of the night - so I made sure I was never alone.  He asked me for my phone number and ended up giving me his.

I discarded of it, before I went home. 

As I was leaving, he asked me if I was going to call him, and he kept shouting out I LOVE YOU.  I of course walked out with a few other people to my car.

The shelter was really busy Sunday night - one of the volunteers who is there a lot said he had never seen it so busy.  They had sleeping mats covering the entire armory floor.  One man moved a mat, which you are not allowed to do - which caused an argument between him and a Mercy House employee, which brought over security - and it happened to be right next to the donations table, so that was a little nerve wracking... as the homeless man involved was also drunk.  They resolved it quickly, which was good.  Lots of F bombs were tossed around though.  I understand both sides, he wanted to sleep off to the side, but there are also rules.

One thing I brought in were some bags, and one woman really wanted a bag, and didnt get one.  She asked me if I would be back before the shelter closed for the season, and I said no :(  I did let her know I would keep my eyes out for a bag, preferably with wheels and if I got one, I would bring it to her. So, anyone have a duffel bag, preferably with wheels?  :)

It seemed as though there were more under the influence people this time around.  One guy was in the process of eating his ice cream, laying on his mat, and literally passed out with the spoon half way between the bowl and his mouth.  I had three different men talking to me Sunday night.  All three were hovering.  All night.  It was definitely a little nerve wracking, but I definitely had people watching out for me, so I felt safe.  One guy was telling me I needed a yacht on the lake in Lake Forest, and massages all day and to lay out in the sun.  Sure, sounds good to me!  HA HA!  

Standing at the donation table, I looked around the Armory, and it was awesome to see people in my clothing.  There were some men rocking some Angels shirts I brought in, and a woman wore a nice shirt I had brought in... just looking around knowing I helped those people, was so incredibly rewarding.  

The shelter is only open through March, and I am volunteering one more time at the Fullerton location... I am sad - I wish it was a year round thing.  I wonder where all of these people sleep and eat during the months the shelter is not there.  I saw a lot of the same people I saw the last time I volunteered there.  Its sad, but I like knowing they have somewhere safe to sleep for at least a few months out of the year.  

Oh, and the big bag of socks I brought were a major hit!  Apparently they arent supposed to give out used socks, which I didnt know - but the woman in charge let me do it, and "pretended not to know".  Sad, because so many people needed the socks, but I guess I understand.  

One woman who was sorting through the clothes asked me how I was.  I gave her the typical dont think about it Im just conditioned to answer "Im good, how are you" and she said, "Of course you are good.  You are volunteering."  At first I thought it was kind of snarky, but shes right - what do I have to complain about?  I get to leave after 3 hours and get in my nice car, drive to my nice, warm house, take a nice, warm, long shower and get in my nice warm pajamas and bed.  So yeah, I am good.  My "problems" are small in comparison to most.  

Two other members from the Meetup group... Jessica and her son Matthew.  I worked with Matthew at the donations table... he got stuck being lectured by a gentleman for a good half hour about getting a job, and EOE's and Human Resources and Im not sure exactly what else.  Poor kid  :)

Volunteer opportunity that just didnt work out...

Saturday morning, Melissa and I set out determined to volunteer in Garden Grove, serving food to the homeless.

We arrived at the "White House" a little early, and both quietly started to get really nervous.  The area was not good, and there were a lot of slightly scary people milling around.  Melissa noticed a massive amount of bugs gathering on my side view mirror on the passenger side, which I think is when we werent so quiet about how nervous we were doing this.  

We sucked it up, and jumped out of the car and went inside this house.  There were probably 30 Vietnamese kids, (turns out they were students who needed service hours and did not call ahead).  We tried to figure out what to do, and no one even acknowledged we had walked in the door, and the kids were running around teaching each other how to make coffee.  After probably 10 minutes, we decided to leave.  No one would talk to us, and there was nothing to do.  There was coffee and danish - and nothing was cooking in the kitchen - it was all very bizarre.

I talked to my friend later who set up the event, and he said it was a very bizarre experience for him as well (We did not see him when we were there).  But he told me about the students just showing up, and also that people brought food later, that they had cooked on their own...  just not really an organized thing... and I am thankful Melissa and I tried - and left.  I dont think it was the place for us to be.  I feel bad because it was her first time coming to volunteer with me, and honestly I have never had something like this happen... but we spend a great girls day together and it ended up being fun.

I have quite an entry to make about the homeless shelter last night, but I will wait until I have some more time, to make sure I get all the details in there :)

Mercy House Santa Ana Cold Weather Emergency Shelter

I honestly dont even know where to start this blog entry.

This was my first time volunteering at the shelter.  I have seen this shelter for a few years - driving home from work - now and when I worked at Ambrosia.  So far, I have done drop offs only of items I have collected from people (mainly my parents friends, and a couple of mine).  So I would pull in, see the people in line, empty my car, and leave.  Tonight was the first time I was inside the Armory to volunteer.  I was in awe.  No pictures were allowed, per the Armory so I was not able to capture what I saw.  However, it will FOREVER be in my memory.

The trunk full of clothes I brought in were taken to the back, and separated by size, mens, womens, etc.  They were set out on tables for people to go through.  Everyone was allowed to take two items.  Some of the women were really excited to get a cute jacket.  There were two women who talked to me, and told me outrageous stories.  One woman told me how she has died, and come back, and was paralyzed and had cancer, I didnt hear everything she was saying - but I just listened and shook my head and comforted her.  Thats all she wanted. Her name was Connie and she asked me to pray for her.  So I did.  And you should too.  Just because.  She asked and she needs it. The other woman had some mental problems, and was telling me all of the different places she went, and how she saw kids she knew were hers everywhere... my heart broke for these people.  Everyone was so thankful and a few people said God Bless You, which made me feel good.  They were so thankful.

The hard part was there were hardly any mens items.  So most of the men didnt get anything.  A lot of people just wanted a pair of socks. And I didnt even have that to give them - it was heart breaking.

There were two blankets I had brought in today, and I didnt see who took the one - but it was a colorful knitted blanket... and the person went to their mat and laid down under it and went to sleep.  That blanket, and the clothes on their back were the only things that person owned.  They had not one thing else.

Other volunteers laid down mats on the floor.  Thin, twin size mats.  They mopped them down, then sprayed them with lysol.  Flipped them and did the same thing.  The mats were lined up - next to each other - touching - in rows of probably 20 or more, and about 3 deep.  No personal space.  Everyone came in, put what they owned on their mat, and just did their thing.  People knew each other from being in the shelter together and there was some friendly chatter. 

There were people in there wearing pants that were so small they couldnt button or zip them.  There were a few pregnant girls.  There seemed to be a group of younger (mid-late 20s) kids that all hung around together, happy to see each other at the end of another day.  A very small few seemed intoxicated, but no one was really out of control. Only one outburst from one female happened - apparently someone was touching her stuff.

When everyone arrived, popcorn was served.  Then dinner was brought in and served - rice and beans and tortillas, I believe from a Temple down the street - I do not know what kind of Temple - Indian perhaps?  Peruvian?  Pardon my ignorance.  They also had coffee and juice, until it ran out.  Volunteering was over after dinner was served and cleaned up... and I waited until a few people left, as they advise you not to walk out to your car alone.

I am not even covering half of what I experienced... and I dont even know that I could ever put it into words.  I truly am thankful that I have parents that would never let me get to this point in life.  I will always have a roof over my head, and tonight showed me just how lucky I am.  And thankful.  Listening to peoples conversations, like a woman saying her son just got an apartment with his girlfriend, two bedrooms, and he will not let her stay there... broke my heart.  It all broke my heart.  

I really want to continue to collect items, as many as I can for this shelter.  PLEASE, look in your closet, look in your drawers, just look... jackets, socks, shoes (boots and tennis shoes), pants, sweaters, long sleeve shirts... anything anyone can wear in this cold weather... they have nothing.  If you can part with it, please do.  I will collect it from you.  I am volunteering again (I dont remember when) but I would LOVE to bring car loads of items OFTEN to this shelter.  It is so needed.  I will beg if I have to... please :)

  

Mercy House Cold Shelter Delivery, Take 2

My drop off of everything went well today...

It's becoming the norm for me to leave there in tears. Tonight, for the first time this year... I saw kids in the line. I will be honest, a lot of times I look away before I see any. Today it was so crowded I couldn't help it.

I dropped off a lot of stuff and another family was dropping off bags of stuff as well. This weekend I am actually volunteering at the shelter. I have a feeling I'm going to have a hard time. It makes me so sad.

This ended up being about half of what I had. (I took the picture then kept collecting before I finally made it over there). I had a bag with a blanket and sleeping bag, another blanket, a few more clothes, some diapers and more toiletries.  I am excited for Sunday, to be inside the Armory and Shelter and to see exactly what these donations are doing.  

Heartbroken

I can tell you the last time I actually felt my heart break.

It was on April 10, 2010 when Kahlua died.

Until today.

I literally felt my heart break when I was turned away at the Mercy House Cold Weather Shelter - because they are closed tonight.  The Armory needed the location for training.  

While this probably doesnt sound like a big deal, what actually broke my heart was seeing people lined up along the fence where they usually wait to get in.  Laying down on the sidewalk, sleeping were what looked like two young military men.  They were not the only two in line, but they were the two that just made me feel horribly heartbroken.  I dont know their story of course, and I dont know if they are military men, I know nothing of course.  I really wanted to give the first guy in line a blanket that I have in my trunk, on top of the other stuff I have to donate.  I pulled out of the parking lot and I started to cry - and I havent stopped yet.  I drove in a circle, and then I drove home.  I did not stop to give him the blanket because I felt guilty that I didnt have one for every person in that line.  I didnt want to upset anyone and I didnt want to cause a problem for the one guy if I gave only him a blanket... but I feel extremely guilty.  They probably dont know yet that they dont have a roof over their head for the night, they dont have a hot shower to take, they dont have a bed to lay down in where they can sleep in safety for the night... He had no blanket and I feel so horrible for leaving... but I didnt know what else to do.

I cant stop crying, and I seriously feel so heartbroken for everyone on that sidewalk who will be sleeping outside on this freezing cold night.  I will drop the donations off tomorrow night, but tonight, I just feel...sad.