Posts Tagged ‘downtown east side’

Since the tender age of 11, Laura took giving back to a whole new level. This year, she spearheaded the movement that had over ten schools and hundreds of volunteers involved in knitting scarves for Beauty Night participants. On November 22nd and Christmas Eve, volunteers walked through the streets in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside handing out scarves to people who needed to be warm.

Beauty Night Society’s fitness program, ‘Womyns Gym’, has just wrapped up it’s 10-week program for the 2009 season. The sessions ran twice a week every week from September to December. It required a heavy commitment by our clients and trainers, and we managed to find the perfect group. Although our number of participants varied in the initial few weeks, we were able to finish our sessions with 5 very committed and enthusiastic women.

A few changes were made to increase participant’s satisfaction as well as to increase adherence to the program. With the help of our up beat trainers we ran a circuit style workout. Circuit style allowed each trainer to teach 2 or 3 specific exercises to every client while still maintaining a one-on-one relationship. Based on the laughter, smiles and encouraging slogans being heard throughout the gym it was obvious this was a successful change.

Another great addition to Womyns Gym was the childcare we offered to our participants. Not only did this increase the accessibility and adherence to the program, it also introduced the children to a healthy lifestyle at a young age. Fostering an interest in exercise is extremely valuable and helps make it a natural occurrence in their lives as they grow up. As it turns out, the kids loved playing with all the exercise equipment and were frequently trying to mimic the exercises ‘Mommy’ was doing. This reminded us that exercise can and is meant to be fun – maybe we should think of it more as adult play time?!

As I reflect on the past sessions of Womyns gym, I am reminded of one workout that was particularly enjoyable. The trainers decided to surprise the clients with a themed workout… Retro Style! All the trainers brought out their neons, spandex, headbands and leg warmers for a jane fonda inspired workout session. The music consisted mostly of Madonna, David Bowie, Donna Summers and Billy Idol to name a few. Everyone’s heart rates were high and faces flushed as we danced around between exercises – I think it may have been the hardest workout, and yet it was an absolute blast!!

After the Christmas season Womyns Gym will resume it’s programming, however the sessions will most likely be in a drop-in format to start. Our current participants as well as our wait –listed clients are eagerly awaiting our January start date. As the program coordinator, my Christmas wish list is to recruit 10 women to workout twice a week and to have everyone complete the Vancouver 2010 Sun Run!

Womyns Gym is only possible with hardworking and enthusiastic trainers who create a fun, invigorating atmosphere to workout in, as well as inspired and enthusiastic participants, so thank you to all who were a part of Womyns Gym 2009! Also a huge thank you to Telus for allowing us to create a sustainable program that provides quality training.

Thank you everyone and have a fit and fantastic New Year!

- Tyla Flexman, Womyn’s Gym Program Coordinator

9 years ago, Caroline MacGillivray held the first Beauty Night at WISH Drop in Centre in Vancouver, BC. 14 volunteers took care of 73 women who attended the event. Many of the attendees live in poverty and experience violence. The opportunity to be in a safe space is something that is valued. The opportunity to be treated with dignity and respect made them feel good.

What started off as a special Christmas make over party, became a way to reintroduce touch to victims of violence. When attendees saw the physical change, they started to believe other types of change were possible. They attended literacy classes to show off their freshly painted nails, visited the health clinics to talk about how good they felt and walked out with an extra bounce in their step.

Working directly with the attendees, helped change the perception of many of our volunteers. One of our volunteers told us, “I go past these women every day on the bus but I don’t see them. Tonight I laughed and hugged so many of them. I can’t go back to not being able to see them.”

Last night we celebrated Beauty Night Society’s 9th birthday in Vancouver & Prince George. In Vancouver, the festivities started off with Christmas caroling. Volunteers, participants & their children sang Christmas tunes while creating Christmas cards. Thanks to accessing karaoke via youtube.com, we were able to get everyone singing and dancing.

Women and children gathered around the table with their children cutting and pasting ribbon to card stock. Womyn’s Gym coordinator, Tyla Flexman helped the women find stickers & pens as they sifted through the mountain of art supplies. Through words and art they found different ways to say thank you on paper. These cards were given to many of our volunteers.

Thanks to sponsorship through Liberty Wines & the the creative genius of Stacey Dallyn, the Beauty Night room was transformed into a winter wonderland. Wood land creatures sat under a White Christmas tree. Decorated in silver and gold, the words Beauty Night leapt out the fluffy snow that coated the walls.

Founding vice president of Beauty Night Society, Carly Teng was on hand as a roaming photographer. Carly captured pictures of the festivities of the evening. When our photography team was stuck in traffic, Carly stepped in and began to snap pictures of the women & Santa Claus.

Beauty Night board member, Dave Dickson’s eyes twinkled like St. Nick as women & children posed with him. Ten year old, Santa Helper, Katie Dalinghaus smiled pretty for the camera as she handed out the Nancy Black designed Xmas stockings to the women and children.

Stuffed to the brim with warm gloves, tooth brushes, dental care products, skin care, hair care, and body care products, the brightly coloured stockings Katie handed to the women. Like the first Beauty Night makeover event, the stockings contents came from stocking drive from individuals, churches, and businesses that wanted to contribute to Beauty Night’s 7th annual Xmas stocking drive. Led by Stocking Coordinator, Blair Lockhart, BC Hydro, TD Canada Trust, Ch2M Hill and Carrie Wheeler Talent Management and many more collected monies and products for us to fill those stockings.

Hundreds of high school students from York House, Little Flower Academy, Prince of Wales Mini School, Van Tech Secondary, Churchill Secondary School, Kwantlan College and many members of our community stitched the stockings. 5 – 7 year olds in sparks & brownie troupes decorated the stockings with their own personal flair.

Photographers Bruce & Sarah Culver set up the shots. Beauty Night volunteers & participants mugged for the camera. In the Beauty Night room, Tiffany Telford led the make over program. Carol Hogan, Ella Bak, Olivia Cammie, Meagan Stowe, Denise Van Gorkom, Margo Dalinghaus, and Amanda offered make up lessons, hair styling, manicures, mini massages and reiki.

Under the guidance of Kids Club coordinators, Alexa Fox and Sophia Hughes, women and children continued to create cards and occasionally break into a game of “jingle” tag.

While all the laughter- filled activity filled the room, Wendy Shuen and her volunteers bustled from room to room offering delectable goodies to the Beauty Night participants & volunteers. Almond cookies, fruit cake and mouth watering capicino chocolate biscuits satisfied our taste buds and our stomachs.

Throughout it all, DJ Joe, Tyla Flexman, Stacey Dallyn, Margo Dalinghaus, and Tiffany Telford bustled around making the event run smoothly.

Before the women headed out the door, Katie Dalinghaus gave them scarves created by Knit Fit Volunteers. Over 300 scarves were created by students from Elementary schools and High School students around the lower mainland. Spearheaded by Knit Fit founder & program coordinator, Laura Mah, hundreds of youth, seniors and children developed leadership skills and created scarves to keep people warm as they headed out into the snow.

In Prince George, our Beauty Night makeover event took place at Elizabeth Fry Society. Belly dance and self defense classes were held while women were offered make up application, hair styling, mini facials, manicures and much more.

Tonight – in Vancouver, we continue our celebrations at BC Women’s Hospital. Tiffany Telford, Ella Bak, Tyla Flexman, Caitlin Naylor and Lindsay McMillian will be handing out Xmas stockings and offering our makeover programming to the women in Fir Square.

As we head towards the end of the year, we have a few more events this week. In Toronto, the Xmas stockings & makeover program runs of December 17th – while Vancouver volunteers and contributors celebrate Beauty Night Society’s 9th Birthday on a Boat.

Beauty on the Boat enbarks at 7pm on December 17th. An evening on the sea with the music of Greg Cockerill and evening jaunt along the Vancouver coast. Tickets are $50 – proceeds to Beauty Night Society. For more information, please call 778-885-4526 or events@beautynight.org.

* For those who still have contributions to give, we are still handing out Xmas stockings and scarves on Xmas eve. Please contact us at info@beautynight.org.

“I think everyone wants to make a difference in someone’s life,” explains Beauty Night national executive director, Caroline MacGillivray, in her typical upbeat manner. Nine years ago, while volunteering at the WISH Drop In centre, Caroline dreamt up a unique way to make a difference in the lives of marginalized women in Vancouver’s eastside: Stage an event offering free makeovers for the holiday season.

A lofty plan with one major drawback. “I thought it would cost tons of money,” says MacGillivray. Never underestimate the power of the human spirit. Caroline put the word out to everyone on her email list. Volunteers began signing up—including students from Blanche Macdonald and the London School of Hairdressing and Aesthetics. Caroline’s home made posters advertised the event and within weeks, the first Beauty Night became a reality.

“The women were really excited,” says MacGillivray. What made Beauty Night an instant hit went far beyond haircuts, cosmetics and massages. The eastside women were given something they had rarely experienced—respect and dignity. “What we do is health care, fostering self-esteem,” explains MacGillivray. “When you believe in yourself, you’re more able to change.”

The women began asking for more Beauty Nights—and Caroline and the volunteers happily obliged. Beauty Night became a monthly event. MacGillivray created an eight week personal development program, including nutrition and fitness. Beauty Night started winning volunteer awards and now has weekly makeovers, fitness and yoga programs, and other events at the PHS Life Skills Centre. Since inception, the non-profit, volunteer run program has provided more than 11,000 makeovers to marginalized women in Vancouver, Victoria, and Toronto. Beauty Night is also creating more opportunities for the women to empower themselves. 20% of the Monday makeover clients have become Beauty Night volunteers.

On December 14th, Beauty Night turns 9, celebrating another noteworthy year. MacGillivray won the gold community spirit award at the Celebrating Women and the Spirit of the Cranes banquet. Katie Benjamin, a long-time Beauty Night volunteer, won a YWCA Young Woman of Distinction award for creating Womyns Gym, which are Beauty Night fitness programs sponsored through Telus.

December 14th is also the 7th anniversary of Beauty Night’s Stocking Drive. Spearheaded by Stocking Coordinator, Blair Lockhart, Product Coordinator, Revel Kunz, and Stockings Designer, Nancy Black, literally thousands of volunteers of all ages are involved. High School students from York House, Churchill Secondary, Prince of Wales, Van Tech and many more, local designers, and Kwantlen college fashion department students sew the stockings. Sparks, Brownies & Girl Guides decorate the stockings.

Thera Wise, BC Hydro, Carrie Wheeler Talent Management, and Blanche McDonald have been collecting donations of skin care, makeup, nail, dental, body, and hair care products to fill the stockings. Donations also include gloves and toques.

The December 14th festivities will also include Knit Fit, providing hand made scarves for Beauty Night clients. Founded six years ago by Laura Mah at the tender age of 11, Knit Fit volunteers include students from Chief Maquinna Elementary School, Templeton High School, Vancouver Technical Secondary School and Britannia Secondary School.

The stockings will be handed out to Beauty Night clients by some special holiday guests, Mrs. Claus and her elves. Laura and her KnitFit cohorts will also be making spirits bright by presenting scarves to the guests. Stockings will also be handed out at other events leading up to Christmas Eve.

Looking ahead, the New Year will ring in a brand new Beauty Night initiative. Inner Beauty Boot Camp will introduce self-care to Beauty Night clients and give them the the tools they need to continue their education, or find new employment opportunities. “It is amazing how far we have come,” says MacGillivray.

Beauty Night’s 7th annual stocking drive will be accepting donations, new hair, skincare, dental care, gloves and socks up until December 14th. For more information about donating product, snacks, money, or become a Beauty Night volunteer, please visit beautynight.org or contact Caroline MacGillivray at 778-885-4526.

Beauty Night Turns 9!

Date: Monday, December 14, 2009, 6 – 8:30pm
Location: PHS Life Skills Centre at 412 East Cordova

“I think everyone wants to make a difference in someone’s life,” explains Beauty Night national executive director, Caroline MacGillivray, in her typical upbeat manner. Nine years ago, while volunteering at the WISH Drop In centre, Caroline dreamt up a unique way to make a difference in the lives of marginalized women in Vancouver’s eastside: Stage an event offering free makeovers for the holiday season.

A lofty plan with one major drawback. “I thought it would cost tons of money,” says MacGillivray. Never underestimate the power of the human spirit. Caroline put the word out to everyone on her email list. Volunteers began signing up—including students from Blanche Macdonald and the London School of Hairdressing and Aesthetics. Caroline’s home made posters advertised the event and within weeks, the first Beauty Night became a reality.

“The women were really excited,” says MacGillivray. What made Beauty Night an instant hit went far beyond haircuts, cosmetics and massages. The eastside women were given something they had rarely experienced—respect and dignity. “What we do is health care, fostering self-esteem,” explains MacGillivray. “When you believe in yourself, you’re more able to change.”

The women began asking for more Beauty Nights—and Caroline and the volunteers happily obliged. Beauty Night became a monthly event. MacGillivray created an eight week personal development program, including nutrition and fitness. Beauty Night started winning volunteer awards and now has weekly makeovers, fitness and yoga programs, and other events at the PHS Life Skills Centre. Since inception, the non-profit, volunteer run program has provided more than 11,000 makeovers to marginalized women in Vancouver, Victoria, and Toronto. Beauty Night is also creating more opportunities for the women to empower themselves. 20% of the Monday makeover clients have become Beauty Night volunteers.

On December 14th, Beauty Night turns 9, celebrating another noteworthy year. MacGillivray won the gold community spirit award at the Celebrating Women and the Spirit of the Cranes banquet. Katie Benjamin, a long-time Beauty Night volunteer, won a YWCA Young Woman of Distinction award for creating Womyns Gym, which are Beauty Night fitness programs sponsored through Telus.

December 14th is also the 7th anniversary of Beauty Night’s Stocking Drive. Spearheaded by Stocking Coordinator, Blair Lockhart, Product Coordinator, Revel Kunz, and Stockings Designer, Nancy Black, literally thousands of volunteers of all ages are involved. High School students from York House, Churchill Secondary, Prince of Wales, Van Tech and many more, local designers, and Kwantlen college fashion department students sew the stockings. Sparks, Brownies & Girl Guides decorate the stockings.

Thera Wise, BC Hydro, Carrie Wheeler Talent Management, and Blanche McDonald have been collecting donations of skin care, makeup, nail, dental, body, and hair care products to fill the stockings. Donations also include gloves and toques.

The December 14th festivities will also include Knit Fit, providing hand made scarves for Beauty Night clients. Founded six years ago by Laura Mah at the tender age of 11, Knit Fit volunteers include students from Chief Maquinna Elementary School, Templeton High School, Vancouver Technical Secondary School and Britannia Secondary School.

The stockings will be handed out to Beauty Night clients by some special holiday guests, Mrs. Claus and her elves. Laura and her KnitFit cohorts will also be making spirits bright by presenting scarves to the guests. Stockings will also be handed out at other events leading up to Christmas Eve.

Looking ahead, the New Year will ring in a brand new Beauty Night initiative. Inner Beauty Boot Camp will introduce self-care to Beauty Night clients and give them the the tools they need to continue their education, or find new employment opportunities. “It is amazing how far we have come,” says MacGillivray.

Beauty Night’s 7th annual stocking drive will be accepting donations, new hair, skincare, dental care, gloves and socks up until December 14th. For more information about donating product, snacks, money, or become a Beauty Night volunteer, please visit beautynight.org or contact Caroline MacGillivray at 778-885-4526.

On November 27th, we launched our Mom & Tot nutrition program. “Our mission is to provide marginalized women and youth tools to make positive life style choices and heal themselves and our community. Since we value dignity and respect for everyone, we take an innovative approach to educating our participants. There are some wonderful programs out there but ours has the interactive educational component to it.

The pumpkin carving concept of launching this program is one example of how we incorporate education and entertainment in all our programs. Everyone who attended our first session devoured the pumpkin soup and to figure out how we could meet the needs of the community we serve. We had our good meal bag program previously ran at transition homes. Dietician students led by Dietician Heather Lovelace would create a meal, serve it and discuss aspects of nutrition that could benefit each participants’ wellness. After the meal, participants were given the ingredients to recreate the same meal for up to six people.

To bring this program to Vancouver’s DTES, we needed to meet the needs of the participants. One of the key concerns were the lack of kitchen facilities; monies to purchase the ingredients and how to use nutrition for preventative health care. Through the different night’s meals – many that embrace different cultures and nutritional components are presented in a fun way to participants. By educating our participants to become engaged with our programming and actually using the information they learn, we believe it will create a healthy approach to food and life style choices; a great way for the women to bond with their children, break down generational barriers based on poor nutrition and make cooking healthy foods fun.

Beauty Night Society’s Mom & Tot Program Coordinators Alexa Fox and Christie Gray sat down with me to discuss how we could make this program fun and interactive.

Apapting a concept from Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (Hippy)’s literacy program - by teaching the children, it can strengthen the familly.

This program is  great way to involve and engage the community.  Little Flower Academy and Churchill Secondary School students’ Foods 12 class are creating recipes for us that can be cooked on hot plates or in a coffee maker.  Students who are volunteering to do the research for Beauty Night Society’s Mom & Tot Nutrition Program are developing leadership skills and becoming empowered as the research they develop will have a direct positive impact on someone’s life.

At Beauty Night, we have been thinking about Christmas since July! During the warm summer months, many a afternoon was spent in brain storm sessions with Laura Mah, Blair Lockhart, Nancy Black, Revel Kunz, Christie Gray and Tiffany Telford. The questions we kept asking were:

We have been doing the annual Xmas stocking drive for 8 years, what is working well?

What do we want to change?

How can we get more community members involved?

How do we get the message out?

How do we know if we meet the needs of the community?

What worked well was the dynamic community response to the Xmas Drive.  Seniors, industry professionals, parents, children, youth and tweens wanted to contribute their time, energy, money and resources. Through word of mouth and positive media coverage this event has more volunteers wanting to get involved.

To increase word of mouth, Christie and I spent several afternoons with Knit Fit volunteers. Our training sessions included:

• Social media training. How to use facebook, twitter and word press to share their stories of volunteering
• Christie Gray created accounts for the volunteers who were interested in blogging. They have been contributing their stories on this blog about the Knit Fit and Stocking Drive.
• Board member, Bill Nevison created a video of last year’s Xmas Stocking Drive celebration and posted it on You Tube. We encouraged the volunteers to use the video to show people what we do. People get 90% of their information from what they see and 10% from what they hear. Sometimes pictures work well – especially seeing the distribution of the stockings and scarves.
• Public Speaking. I have heard that some people fear having to speak in front of people more than death. The volunteers prepared a speech about Knit Fit and Stocking Drive. Like monologues, we worked through the speeches. We worked on the key messaging, breath work, completing the thought and the writing. We work-shopped the speeches to make sure each speech felt like it sounded like the person who was delivering the speech.
• Policy & Procedures. Together we discussed leadership techniques and guidelines for working with children and peers. We discussed how to create a safe and enjoyable space for volunteers to feel empowered and become actively engaged in the projects we are creating. Working together, we came up with some fantastic ideas and put them into motion.

What we are doing is working. Last weekend when Beauty Night Society volunteer, Denise Von Gorkum and I took several Beauty Night participants to the Models of Inspiration Filmathon, we ran into one of the parents of our Knit Fit volunteers. She thanked me for being a good role model for her daughters and their friends. She asked if we needed more volunteers for our Kids Club program. She offered to drive the girls who wished to volunteer to and from our location.

I am thrilled that people want to get more involved with the programming. This week we have been having meetings with volunteers and community members who want to offer other programs for our participants. Digital story telling, inner beauty boot camp, blogging, yoga classes and nutrition classes are some of the program options we are considering. While we continue to create opportunities for our participants, we keep the line of communication open with our participants and community partners. We want to make sure what we are offering is what the women want and that starts with asking for feed back.

Thanks to DJ Joe, our participant facilitator we have been able to ask for feed back from our participants.  The general consensus is positive. Thanks to DJ’s constant queries, we are making some adjustments in our times and days for programming to make sure we are giving the women what they want.

The participants love the concept of joy and celebration. We have managed to include that in our regular programming. This past week’s programming included Beautilicious Halloween Celebration, Mom & Tot pumpkin carving sessions and pumpkin fitness classes. Through innovation and constant feedback, we continue to evolve our programming as we work together with our contributors, volunteers and participants.

As for our Xmas Activities, the women love the stockings and the Knit Fit scarves.  What they would like to see is a way they can help with the planning. We have started inviting participants to our stocking cutting sessions. Although the participants have not attended these sessions, they seem to enjoy being asked.

Volunteers from York House School, Churchill Secondary, Kwatlan College – Fashion Design Program, Van Tech Secondary, Little Flower Academy, and individual sewers have stitched up stockings. Stocking Coordinator, Blair Lockhart has been collecting the sewn stockings and dropping them off to groups of children to decorate them. Sparks (5-7 year olds – before Brownies), Brownies and Girl Guides are getting together to decorate and in some cases fill the stockings.

Last year Revel Kunz opened up her home to the Rangers (one of groups of children who sewed and decorated stockings). The Rangers spent one Monday evening filling 130 stockings! By encouraging children and youth to get involved, I believe it helps them understand that we can impact someone’s life. When we work together, we can change the world.

I hope you enjoy the Halloween festivities. Stay tuned for our Xmas Wish List for our 8th Annual Xmas Stocking Drive.

Writer Michelle Hopkins interviews Beauty Night clients and volunteers in the month’s Vancouver Lifestyles Magazine. Here is the article online. Photo by Brett Beadle.

Here is the link:

http://vlmonline.ca/columns/street-level