Dressed up as the Grinch and a Holiday elf, through shelters, Sorella House, and Rice Block we headed with a car stuffed with xmas wealth. Staff members at the houses greeted us with joy. Together we brought in boxes of stockings filled with tooth brushes, tooth paste, AG-Hair products and toys.

Bringing Stockings to shelter to hand out

The first door we knocked, with hesitation it was unlocked. “We wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year!” we sang. Serenaded she was touched as she gentle took the stocking and said,”Thank you very much.”

Door after door we knocked, singing our Christmas carols, we rocked. Watching eyes light up with delight made us realize just how right the idea of giving is better than receiving – the joy we got was oh so pleasing.

165 stockings we handed out during our journey along this route. Excited to hand out more as the 2nd day of Xmas will have more in store. Thank you to all who have helped make our 12 Days of Xmas Campaign come true – we are so grateful to all of you!

Youth And Philanthropy initiative bursary winning video on Beauty night Society’s wonderful services, accomplishments and mission. Beauty Nights, is a Vancouver based volunteer ran program that is designed for to give “live makeovers” for the woman of the Downtown East side of Vancouver that live in poverty.

This story has been written by Julia Pon.

We have three streams of programming:

Makeovers (hair, makeup, manicures, relaxation massage)

Wellness (footcare, walk/run clinic/womyn gym)

Life Skills (literacy, goal setting, mentorship opportunities)

When these are combined together, they create opportunities for our participants to build self esteem and change their lives. Thanks to over 400 volunteers we have given over 11 000 life-makeovers in the past 10 years! If you are interested in getting volunteering for frontline work, we are holding our first volunteer orientation of 2011 on Wednesday, January 5th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm.

Volunteer requirements:

- Enthusiastic and excited about the opportunity to volunteer on a weekly basis on a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday shift

- Great team player

- Innovative and eager to participate in program development

- Adaptable and comfortable working with women from different walks of life

- Possess appropriate certifications or enrolled in school  for specialized volunteer opportunities (yoga, group fitness certification, food safe,  health care diploma, enrolled in specific skill development programs)

- Interested in becoming serving on a committee or getting involved behind the scenes

For more information please fill in our volunteer form.

Product Contributions:

Huge thanks to everyone for your continued support Special thanks to those who responded so quickly to my facebook & twitter requests for more nail polish. The immediate response offering to contribute polish from your personal collections, contribute monies to purchase more supplies and spreading the word among your friends was overwhelming. It reminded me of how Beauty Night originally started. In the fall of 2000, I sent an email out asking for contributions of hair, nail, skin, dental and body care products to hold the first Beauty Night. People forwarded that email and I started hearing from people who I didn’t know that had contributions of products and money to purchase what we needed.

Beauty Night Volunteers Dressed up as Santa’s Helpers Handing out Xmas Stockings, Hand-knitted
Scarves, Oranges and Cookies and Spreading Xmas Cheer on December 24, 2009!

Since then we have given over 11 000 makeovers in 9.5 years. Our original concept has evolved from makeovers to life-makeovers. Our programming includes personal development, literacy, child minding, physical fitness, goal setting and mentorship. We can no longer accept gently used products as we are following Health & Safety Canada’s Guidelines. We would love to accept samples and new products or monies to purchase products. In the fall, we will begin our annual Xmas Stocking Drive. We will be filling up 600 stockings that Ms. Claus will hand out on Xmas eve to the women who participate in our programs. If you are interested in being involved in this program, please email us at info@beautynight.org with your contact information and how you would like to get involved.

Beauty Night Welcomes David Chen as our treasurer

David K Chen:

Complete Financial’s owner and primary financial advisor is David Chen, BSc., BA, CSA (Certified Senior Advisor)

David is a technical scuba diver, motorcyclist and family man with a very mixed background of education, real world experience and financial services training.

Born and raised in Vancouver, David has built strong relationships with friends, colleagues and clients. Everybody knows if they have a problem and need a solution, they should contact him, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with money. “I am always available to help or find help” is David’s favourite saying.

David specializes in investment, insurance and leveraging strategies for personal and corporate cases focusing on preventing financial shrinkage and encouraging growth. Through stop loss plans and low tax investments, he has helped many families meet their financial challenges, including those with disabled children. He has been in the financial field since January 2004.

-Received a B.Sc. in human physiology from McGill University and a B.A. with awards and honours in bio-psychology from UBC.
-Certified Senior Advisor, 2 year Order of Merit qualifier, currently working towards his certified financial planner designation.
-Worked in a variety of professions including heavy machinery operator, light commercial scuba diver, and business manager.
-Currently one of a handful of technical-diver instructors with PADI-DSAT and well respected life support equipment technician
-Director and newsletter editor with Barnet Rifle Club since 1995.
-President to his 530 unit, residential strata council, 3 years running.
-Guest business psychology speaker for UBC’s Social Psychology Department.
-Job Interview Process coach and Work Experience mentor with Fraser Heights Secondary School
-Guest lecturer for Financial Matters with Fraser Heights Secondary School
-Workshop presenter for the Disabilities Association of British Columbia
-Workshop presenter for the North Shore Connexions society
-Workshop presenter for Community Living BC North Shore division
-Entrepreneur mentor for Canadian Youth Business Foundation

Beauty Night Volunteers An Minh Vu and Debbie Wright Chat and Style!

Thank You Vancouver Foundation!
We are thrilled to announce we are one of the recipients of Vancouver Foundations’ 3 year grants. Over the next three years, Vancouver Foundation will be contributing $45 000 to our Life Makeover program. The investment in Beauty Night Society’s mission to provide marginalized women and youth tools to make positive lifestyle choices strengthens the community within a community that Beauty Night has created. This investment will make it easier for us to reach more women and to get more of their input.

How Are We Doing?
We will be creating a Women’s Advisory Group with our participants and volunteers who are interested in being involved. Through these sessions we are hoping to evaluate what we offer our participants, how we can evolve it to meet their needs in ways they would like their needs met, and creating a stronger sense of community.
An Minh Vu, one of long time volunteers will be conducting a survey for our Beauty Night participants. Our last survey was conducted in 2006 to establish demographics. Our updated survey will collect demographics as well as focus groups to find out what our participants want.  We are aiming to conduct the survey in September 2010. Thanks to the Benefic Foundation  to contributing $3000 to Beauty Night to conduct the suvey.

Every Woman & Womyns Gym Inspire Women who Move
Huge thanks to www.everywomanintheworld.com for raising over $2000 for Beauty Night through their annual silent auction & raffle. Every Woman Founders’ Kerri Carleson & Lynn Kanuka have made a huge impact on the lives of women through www.everywomanintheworld and continue to support Beauty Night monitarily, sponsorship and through volunary efforts. Kanuka, walk/run coach for Sport Med BC made it possible for 7 of our Womyns Gym participants to run the Sun Run. Thanks to the online coaching and the entry fees sponsored by the Sun, 4 of our participants completed the run. Womyn’s Gym Program Coordinator, Tyla Flexman & Kanuka might have a walk/run clinic geared up for Sept 2010 for our participants who wish to participate in the 2011 Sun Run.

Until then, Womyn’s Gym programming will focus on group fitness classes. We asked the women what types of fitness classes they would like to enjoy. Dance classes are at the top of the list. Thanks to Vivian Dang, Lina Martin-Chen, and Franny Varty, our participants are able to drop their children off with our child minders as they enjoy a dance class or our makeover program.

Out Reach
Since the closure of Vancouver Health’s Health Contact Centre in May, we have partnered with many community groups and service providers to offer our life makeover program to their participants. Participants of WISH, Atira’s EWMA (Emerging Women Making Art), YMCA’s Nanook, BC Women’s Hospital’s Fir Square, and Atira’s Serena’s Place have had or are scheduled to able to participate in our Life Makeover Program on their own premises. In July 2010, we stretch our programming to different parts of the lower mainland starting with the Front Room in Surrey.

Beauty Night Schedule Week of June 21 – June 27th.

Tonight’s Beauty Night
Schedule:
5:30 -8:30pm
412 E Cordova

Facilitating: Tiffany

Nails: Margo, Louise
Hair: Pamela & Courtney
Makeup: Amanda?
Skin Care: Anna
Reiki: Amanda

Creation Station: Jen

Tomorrow (Tuesday June 22) 6-8:30pm
BC Women’s Hospital
4500 Oak Street (in Fir Square * Please let us know if you need parking as they will give you a pass for parking)

Facilitating: Tiffany

Hair: Gary, Courtney
Nails: Karen, Louise
Skin Care: Anna
Makeup: Tiff

Saturday, June 26th
Nanook House
(special celebration for women wrapping up a 12 week personal development session I have been teaching. Mainly single moms)
Clark & Broadway Area * will coordinate place to meet with volunteers as confidentiality is important)
2- 4:30pm

Makeup:
Hair:
Nails:
Skin Care:
Massage:

* I’ve asked them to bring clothing to dress up in for after the make over, they can celebrate!
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Thank you to all of your support. If you wish to become a monthly contributor, please click on this link. https://beautynightsociety.pincgiving.com/
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Sincerely,

–
Caroline MacGillivray
Beauty Night Society
www.beautynight.org

Beauty Night provides marginalized women and youth tools to make positive life style changes.

9 years, 400 volunteers, 11 000 makeovers.

Beauty Night… because dignity is beautiful.

Thanks to Ronnie Bugay from www.galeliodesign.com for capturing the event and what we aim to achieve with the monies raised through Beauty Night Society.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPWVfl__wuc[/video]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAFRnLa-yhc[/video]

Here are the details:

Vancouver, BC…Robert Held Art Glass is pleased to announce their annual Sale & Gala Event, November 20th from 5pm – 9pm.  Get into the holiday spirit early with this festive annual holiday Sale and Gala Event. This amazing collective will not only feature some of the work by BC’s best talents, but will provide the opportunity to shake hands with the artists themselves, including Robert Held, Richard Scheib, Katy Pattison, Jeremy Day Morris, Melanie Rowe, Lynne Chapelle, Joanne Andrighetti, and many more. The artists will entertain with beadwork demonstrations, glass demonstrations, create a collaborative holiday piece as well as have their popular ‘cooking with glass’ showcase with some tantalizing treats for our guests. While nibbling on the glass cooked food or sipping on the fine wine, you can also peruse the gallery and find some fantastic deals for your holiday shopping. With up to 50% off Robert Held Glass, a wide selection of jewellery, glass sculptures, beads, and fused glass work, you’re sure to fill your stockings!

The artists will also be providing pieces to be auctioned off for Beauty Night Society. Beauty Night provides marginalized women and youth tools to change their lives and heal themselves and their communities. Beauty Night National Executive Director & Founder, Caroline MacGillivray will chat about the what Beauty Night Society does and why. After that Robert Held will create a piece on site and auction it off to raise funds for Beauty Night Society. The Gala event is open to the public and the Pre-holiday sale continues all week from November 21 – 28, 10am – 6pm so come down to get the fires burning.

After the event, Beauty Night volunteers will be escorting Beauty Night participants to see tonight’s performance of Demon Voice. More details to come about the world premiere of Shawn McDonald’s play… tomorrow.

While she and Jenny Tran embarked on the process of wrapping 300 hand made scarves, I asked Laura to fill me in on how many people have been involved in the Knit Fit portion of our annual Xmas Stocking Drive.

This morning, Jenna sent the following update to post:

Knit Fit has been busy getting out the word for why Knit Fit was established. In the past 2 weeks, Knit Fit has already visited 3 different schools to teach students how to knit and show them the importance of giving back. So far, Knit Fit has met Lord Beaconsfield Elementary, Lord Strathcona Elementary, and Chief Maquinna Elementary.

At Lord Beaconsfield, Knit Fit spoke with 2 different classes, and again will be visiting Wednesday to teach the kids how to knit.
At Lord Strathcona, Knit Fit organized a club for students who were interested in knitting. These meeting are held each Monday at lunch. At these meeting students will come together and knit, while enjoying their lunches and having good conversation.

At Chief Maquinna, Knit Fit attended their Peace Concert held in respect for Remembrance Day. Here Knit Fit talked about the background of Knit Fit in front of the Maquinna neighbourhood community, while also sharing some personal stories of how   Knit Fit has affected them.

When I did the math, I realized Knit Fit is actively involving hundreds of kids, youth, parents and teachers. When you combine those volunteer efforts with the volunteers that have been sewing and decorating the 600 Xmas stockings, we have a community effort that not only impacts the Beauty Night Society participants who receive the warm scarves and stockings, it also affects all of the people who contributed their time, energy, skills and money to make this project happen.

When I was interviewed by Telus Television last Monday, I was asked how many volunteers do we have and what the demographic of our volunteers are. I realized we have thousands of volunteers. Some who work directly with our participants. Others who constantly fundraise and create events to raise awareness and contributions so we can continue to provide tools for disenfranchised women and children to make positive life style choices and heal themselves and the community. Many who mentor the children in our community who teach them leadership and how they can impact someone’s life with their actions. The children and youth who believe if we give from our hearts, we can heal the world. When all of us work together, we  change lives.

In regards to working together, it is important to recognize that we learn things from everyone. Through laughter and love, we can combine the leadership development and contributions to change the world. When women wrap the warm scarves around their neck or when their eyes light up as they open up the stocking decorated especially for them, I believe it does the human spirit a great deal of good.

Beauty Night Makeup Artist Volunteer, Ella Bak poses with DJ JoPurity and Diane

When we asked Beauty Night Society (BNS) volunteer and participants what they would like to experience, celebration and joy was something that everyone wanted. On October 26th, we put our Halloween committee’s concepts into action. Our decorating committee (participants, volunteers & board members) came in early to set the stage for the event to follow.

Cob webs, orange and black streamers adorned the ceiling, drawers, and walls of the room.  The buzz of excitement filled the entire centre. Together our decorating committee worked together to create an environment of fun that our make over volunteers could still work within.

Make up Artists Tiffany Telford, Ella Bak and Amanda Gangoso met the requests of our volunteers and participants. Hairdresser, Gary Smith created hair for “Mili Cyrus” to zombies, vampires and many more. At our nail station, Margo Dalinghaus and Kate created glamour girl nails as easily as claws for the various types of claws that people wanted.

Participant Facilitator, DJ Joe and Kerry Parsons filled the cups with hot tea while Stephanie Scott and photographer, Aaron Chung offered chocolate treats to participants who wanted to pose for our Halloween photo shoot. Posing with their children, with their friends, the women playing in front of the camera. “Aaron Chung creates a safe space for the women to enjoy being captured on film. Together with our amazing group of volunteers, participants and board members – our Beauty Night Society (BNS) celebrations are a pleasure for all involved!” explains National Executive Director and Founder, Caroline MacGillivray.

Thanks to Make Over Program Facilitator, Tiffany Telford, the children included cookie decoration as part of their activities in our Kids’ Club activities. Kids’ Club Program Co-ordinators, Alex Fox and Sophia Hughes supervised the decoration of bat shaped cookies as well as creating Halloween Masks. In the past two months, Hughes and Fox have worked together to create a fantastic program geared towards our participants’ children.

“Originally Katie Benjamin (Founder of Womyns Gym) wanted to offer child care for our Womyns Gym program participants. When we moved Womyns Gym from Tuesday and Thursdays to Monday and Wednesdays, I felt we needed to offer child care to our other program participants’ children. It wouldn’t be fair to only have it for one program. Alexa and Sophia have created a program that the kids can call their own. I am thrilled to have such amazing program coordinators. When I asked if we could create program to foster healthy self esteem and incorporate 20 minutes of physical activity every hour, Alexa and Sophia went above and beyond what I asked for. I know Kids’ Club is a huge benefit to the kids and to their parents – who participant in our other programming.”

Although we planned pumpkin carving and face painting as part of our Mom & Tot Nutrition program, the children were included in the photo shoot and face painting during the festivities on the 26th. Some of the children came dressed in costumes as did our volunteers. The rooms were filled with kangaroos, cats, vampires, zombies, and witches.

For those who did not bring costumes, Denise Van Gorkum and Amanda played fairy godmother. There women and children created magic wands, crowns, necklaces and witch hats. The opportunity to create their own costumes was incredibly fun and empowering. Watching faces filled with dejection due to forgetting a costume change to delight as they created their own was heart warming.

We were thrilled to have Womyns Gym volunteers get cat noses & whiskers or moustashes painted on their faces before training the women. We were thrilled to welcome Katie Gove from Telus’ Community Giving to our festivities. Beauty Night Society’s Womyns Gym is a proud recipient of Telus Community Giving.

The only dark spot in the evening was the fact that some of the numbers were down. When we followed up with participants the following evening, concerns of swine flu kept some of our participants at home. Although we would have loved to have seen more of our participants (we had about 25 participants throughout the entire night), we are glad that they are abiding by health policies that Beauty Night Society has shared with volunteers and participants. Rest and time to heal is vitally important during the cold and flu season!

Huge thanks to all of our volunteers, community partners – especially the PHS Life Skills Centre, Telus Community Giving, and of course our participants! When we work together, we can make a huge impact in our communities!