In late October when we were introduced to the Take Action Project I had many things run through my head. I am very experience in the community service, fundraising and philanthropy being that I am in a sorority on campus.
Since this class main focus was women in the society we decided to do something very close to many girls within the community. Walethia is the creator of "My Dreams Do Come True" which is a local organization helping girls in the Genesee County area. Walethia collects genteelly used formal and prom dresses for prom, Homecoming and Sadie's. Walethia's organization "My Dreams Do Come True" is designated to help girls who are less fortunate and may not be able to afford going to prom. She allows the girls to choose a dress, shoes, jewelry, and jacket to keep for free so they have the opportunity to do something she didn't have the chance in doing, which is going to prom.
I really like the fact that she makes sure senior girls are graduating and looking towards a bright future. Going to prom isn't the only achievement and gift a girl could have, but graduating high school and being successful as well.
Our project was completed last week and we had two dress drives. Our first one was three hours and our second one was for two hours long held on the third floor of the University Center. In both dress drives we received a total of zero dresses. I must say this was very disappointing, but I think the poor turn out was because there was recently a huge dress drive held on campus for another project and organization. I believe they were donated to Walethia's as well. Since we didn't collect any dresses at the tables we set at, we decided to turn in dresses of our own. I turned in a total of three, but they were more like Homecoming or Sadie's dresses.
I must say this type of community service is very similar to what I currently do at work and out the kindness of my heart. I work in The Office of Educational Opportunity Initiatives for the Committed to Excellence and Opportunity Program. In this program I work with incoming freshmen up to outgoing seniors. Every year we have two banquets. One is at the end of the summer it is for our incoming freshmen. It is a summer ball for them to show off their etiquette skills they learned in their "Sass to Class" and "G's to Gents" courses and one in May for the outgoing seniors. For both occasions I have donated dresses I have to a less fortunate young lady. The feeling I have inside is indescribable. I am so happy and complete to give back to someone who is in need and probably more appreciative to have a nice dress than I am. I can agree with the feeling Walethia has when a girl has found the right dress for them and they light up. Working for this program I see the situations that Walethia have seen with her own eyes and heard with her own ears. My stories aren't as deep and personal as hers, but I have many young girls I run across that want to give up in high school because of a dance they can not participate in because of financial reasons. It's very sad to see so I feel special to be able to help someone feel better about theirselves.
I never knew about Walethias organization but now that I know about it I have MANY girls that I will send her way for homecoming, Sadie's and Prom dresses. I think what Walethia does is great and so thoughtful. I love the fact that there are people out there that care so much about the people around in this community and many people who want to uplift this community even if it's donated dresses one at a time. It's still a step to growth for the Flint community which is what we need. I wouldn't necessarily extend the project, but refer the many young ladies I oversee in the program I work for to "My Dreams Do Come True". There are many girls in the program I work for that are in need of dresses. Since I have ran out of dresses to give and donated my last three I have none to donate anymore so I can refer them to Walethia and take them there if they aren't comfortable or if their parents cannot go with them. I want every young lady "Dreams to Come True" and have the opportunity to go to any dance they would like and enjoy high school like every high school student should. That's for girls and guys because there are guys who aren't fortunate as well, but suits are a little cheaper. One way to extended this project would be possibly open it up to male items as well. I think this is very great and a unique way in serving the Flint Community. Walethia deserves world wide awards for her outstanding work.
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