Dallas Cheerleader Wannabe?

It would appear that way, but the picture is deceiving. Since I am dressed in Dallas cheerleader gear, blonde wig and all, you would think that I have a secret desire to be a cheerleader. Yet, the truth of the matter is that after trying out for cheerleader in 7th grade and being horribly crushed by not being elected by my peers I gave up all aspirations of being ANY kind of cheerleader........except, of course, for my children.

In actuality I am dressed in this polyester uniform for the Kick-Off meeting of my Helping Hand Home gala committee, along with my co-chair Susan Prickett. We have taken on the monumental task of being the chair-persons for the Gala 2010 which is held in March. We have been working many hours a week since this past January (yes, that would be approx. 15 months prior to the actual Gala date) on preparations for the Gala that will be in the Spring of 2010........our job, besides planning the gala which usually has around 3500 attendees, is to keep our committee motivated, encouraged, focused and in high spirits. Thus, the cheerleader garb.

The Gala is a debutante event held at Palmer Auditorium with a silent auction, deb presentation, dinner, dancing and just all-around fun. It is one of the biggest parties of the year in Austin and is always well attended. I remember, well, when my daughter Ellie was presented as a Deb at the event........she had so much fun and will remember it always. And, in my opinion, was one of the prettiest Debs I have ever seen.

The Helping Hand Gala isn't just for fun, though! On the contrary, it is the largest fund-raiser for the Helping Hand Home for children. The Home provides vital services to children who have been severely affected by neglect and abuse.

The residential treatment facility for abused and neglected children provides a supportive and loving atmosphere where each child can begin to heal. Specialized therapy is provided with the goal of restoring the child to a family setting. Individualized care and treatment are costly for these children, but the Helping Hand Society is committed to the concept that the Home can make dramatic changes in a child’s life. This past year the Home made an extraordinary addition to their campus, the Charter School. This facility helps the most socially and academically challenged children by equipping them with the skills they will need to succeed in the public school system. If you would like to know more about the Home please visit the website at http://www.helpinghandhome.org/

The Gala committee is working hard to plan the event whose proceeds make up the majority of the funds needed to run the Helping Hand Home. Planning this event is a task that I welcomed because I believe so strongly in the work that the home does for the children that we serve. We welcome any and all levels of donations, so if you would like to help support the valuable service that the home provides to our community please contact me........ It takes alot of hard work to put on an event of this magnitude so my cheerleader outfit will be ready at hand for the next several months!