How did you get involved with Starfire University, an Impact 100 grant recipient? What do you do at Starfire University?
In addition to being an Impact 100 member, I teach Professional Make-up Skills at UC’s Communiversity. One of the Starfire teachers saw my class in the Communiversity catalogue and contacted me to teach a seminar to their students on personal grooming and presentation. I happily did so and then shared with the teachers that I was an Impact 100 member and I would be honored to volunteer my time to Starfire on an ongoing basis. I now teach a quarterly seminar at Starfire on a range of topics including make-up skills, personal presentation for jobs and interviews, and how to have fun and make new friends at parties. The most rewarding part of volunteering at Starfire is seeing the students engage is completely normal teenage/young adult behaviors—texting friends, guys and girls hanging out in the lounge together laughing and having fun, making plans for the weekends, etc. Knowing that Starfire offers their students the secure forum to enjoy this stage of their development makes me so happy to be a part of this unique school.
How would you describe yourself?
Overall, I am fun and happy and love meeting new people and having new experiences. As simple as it sounds, my goal for every day is just to be pleasant—pleasant with my surroundings, the people I interact with each day and with myself. Day to day, I am a stay-at-home mom to Max (6) and Jake (4). I am fortunate to primarily be at home. I was a camp counselor for a long time and I love being with kids and spending time outdoors. The other half of my life is freelance styling (hair, make-up and wardrobe) for photo shoots and individuals which fits my love meeting new people and new experience perfectly. Every job is fresh, new and a little glamorous. I get to work with interesting people and get an opportunity to share my passion for clothes and beauty products with others.
What got you involved in Impact 100? What keeps you a member?
Several of my friends in Clifton were members and invited me to join. I have shared a vote with a new friend each year to encourage more women to join as my friends did with me. I stay a member because I really appreciate the direct effect our money has on the grant recipients. Before my membership in Impact 100, my and my husband’s charitable giving was a variety of smaller checks to different organizations without a plan. Impact 100 not only focuses our money in a more direct way, it has also made us look to the rest of our giving. We now give a larger donation to one additional organization which would allow that organization to work on a bigger project each year rather many smaller checks to many organizations.
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