4.17.2011

Thank You, THANK YOU!


Thursday, April 14, 2011 the
lovely ladies at UHS shaved my head. 

After the event I posted this as my status on facebook:

WOW! What a night! Thank you to everyone that came out, that donated, and that have supported me during this little adventure! I'll let ya'll know how much we have raised so far as soon as I find out... I know that i have $1,065 in checks alone in my hand right now! That is so awesome! THANK YOU for your generous hearts!

Still today, I'm not sure what my total is yet, 
but I know that it is over $1,500 dollars! 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

So many people have contacted me and offered support and love. This makes me so happy! To know that there are people out there that believe in me & believe that what I'm doing is making a difference is so awesome!
But I want you and everyone to know that I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have the strength of the Lord holding me up. The bible says that the JOY of the Lord is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10).
Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." So can I get a PRAISE GOD for this fantastic organization and for the people who have the courage to fight for what they believe in.

I hope that this blog has helped/and will continue to help you realize that you aren't alone in your struggles. When you reach out to help someone else (therefore stomping on indifference) you start a change in this world -- and you start to heal. ♥ I am so thankful for my Healer.

If you are reading this right now, I hope you know that YOUR life matters. YOU aren't alone. And You are LOVED.

Sincerely,


Angie Paris



Beauty comes from within... as your heart is transformed so is your life
.

I have been blessed with generous parents that have shown me true, unselfish love. Family, by blood or bond, is essential.



Alexandra raised a bunch of money, donated & shaved her gorgeous hair, and now stands in solidarity with kids with cancer as well. (I'll add an "after" picture of her once I get one.) She is one of the nicest people I have ever met & I can't wait to get to know her better.  Isn't it awesome how people come into our lives when we least expect them? I'm so blessed to share my life with so many extraordinary people.


The whole girls softball team showed up to show their support! Their coaches daughter has Leukemia.
Thank you so much my friends! I LOVE you all so much!


You can be as confident as you want to be!





PS. I'd love to be your facebook friend if I'm not already... click on my first picture (with hair & snowflakes) at the top of the blog or just send me an email, alparis89@aol.com.

4.11.2011

Hair today... Gone on Thursday, April 14th!!! :)


I'm sorry the lips & face aren't in sync... They were when I made the video... But something went wrong apparently and I'm not techno-savvy enough to fix it... Just listen :)

"Redefine Beauty"

Watch the quick video below please :)

One of the reasons I am willing to take this bold step is to “redefine beauty.”
And this is why…
I was loved even before I was born. When I came out of my mom, a slimy, purple, ball of tears… she thought I was beautiful. I was beautiful because I was alive!  I grew up in a supportive, loving family - - I felt beautiful!
But somewhere around 6th grade my hairy legs and arms, acne, and “chubby” body, I lost that feeling of beauty. I felt like a hair, fat, pimple-face - - and I felt ugly.
I was influenced by magazines, TV shows, celebrities, and even infomercials. My friends were also influenced and we became great at judging ourselves and each other. Those magazines we loved to read… first they told us consciously and unconsciously that we weren’t good enough… then they took it to a new level and told us how to “fix” those “problem-areas.” How to “fix” myself.   
It took a long time to realize that, “this is who I am.” A lady at church who could tell that I was struggling told me once, “If you just focus on yourself, and stop worrying about what other people think - - they will like you.”

The pressure on women to look perfect is at an all-time high. I am a volunteer for a program called BeYOUtiful and I work with middle school girls. We meet once a month and analyze and destroy lies that are planted in young girls minds. True beauty starts on the inside and radiates to the outside.

Girls often think that, “If I could find a boyfriend to love me… then I would be complete.” Or, “If I could just not eat and lose ten more pounds… then I would look beautiful.” Those are LIES. I believe that our lives are like puzzles. ALL of the pieces are THERE, right inside the box. Of course we have to put the pieces together, it can be fun & sometimes challenging… but point of the story, the puzzle is complete we need to stop looking to the media for missing pieces.

I’m not afraid to shave my head because I am complete. I was created by God and am beautifully and wonderfully made on the inside and out.

My hair doesn’t make me beautiful. My Creator made me beautiful. I’m not trying to make a new definition of beauty… I just want to get back to the original.  J

Confident in Christ,

~Angela Louise Paris



The women below are all BeYOUtiful volunteers & so inspiring to me! They give and give and give some more. They are all truly beautiful!




And of course I'll add a picture of my sweet nieces who are still happy & healthy :)

And above is Gwen. She is my newest BeYOUtiful student and is so inspiring to me! Because of 5 Star & BeYOUtiful she is taking huge steps in her life & blossoming into a true leader. <3

GOAL SURPASSED!

Late last week we not only reached my $1,000 goal... but we passed it! Right now approximately $1,200 has been raised, "on my head!" Great job!!! I couldn't be prouder of my family and friends! Friends of friends and even strangers in the salon have given and I am so thankful for their sacrifice! This money goes towards finding a cure for children's cancer... a disease that could affect any family anywhere. THANK YOU SO MUCH! WOOOO! Praise God!! :-)

3.31.2011

I am proud to say...

...that so far, as a team we have raised $650 dollars! I am so proud to have the friends and family that I do that are so generous! People I don't even know have donated!! :)

All of the money raised goes to the St. Baldrick's Foundation (www.stbaldricks.org). This is an organization that started in 2000 when 3 reinsurance executives decided they wanted to turn their annual St. Patty's Day party into a benefit to raise money for children's cancer research. Their goal was to raise "$17,000 on the 17th" and they ended up raising over $104,000!  The movement quickly grew into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer research, and today the St. Baldrick's Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. 

Since 2000, more than 147,000 volunteers -- including over 12,000 women -- have shaved in solidarity with children with cancer at events in dozens of countries and every U.S. state. Thanks to generous friends and family, these shavees have raised over $90 million for life-saving research, and each is a walking billboard for the cause!

We are making an impact!! :) My goal is $1,000... and Notre Dame's goal is $60,000 this year!

One of every five children diagnosed with cancer will not survive. Thousands of children are diagnosed with cancer each year, and though the number of children who are cured is greater than it was 20 years ago, the loss of one child is one too many. Every child should be able to live a full and healthy life. Every child has a dream - big or small, simple or spectacular.  But too many dreams have been compromised in the lives of kids with cancer.  Some kids are forced to find new dreams, while others' dreams are lost during a battle with cancer.

Passionately!

~Angie

3.10.2011

I am SO excited!

Tonight I'm packing my warmest clothes, shoes galore, nail polish, pens, paper, & my bible for the 1st Annual BeYOUtiful Retreat. The theme for the weekend is, "Broken to Beautiful."  I am so excited to spend time with 30 middle school girls that want to learn about true beauty. And the truth is that beauty starts on the inside and transforms the outside. I can't wait to see what God has planned! Keep us in you prayers this weekend... cabins with limited heat, muddy trails, & CRAZY campers = sure to be an EPIC weekend! :)

I wonder how the girls will react when my head gets shaved in 35 days? How their perception of beauty will change or stay the same? Only time will tell :) I can't wait!

Love & Blessings,

Angie

3.03.2011

If 100 People Donate 10 Dollars

My goal is to raise $1,000 for St. Baldrick's Foundation this year. That is a big amount to raise, but I know that every penny counts towards life-saving research. I need to make a plan to raise that money.
 
I think that the best goal I can make to raise that money is to get 100 people to donate $10.

So please, if you can... donate $10. If you donate online, email me (alparis89@aol.com) so I can keep track of where we are at in the goal of 1,000 smackeroos for St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Notre Dame's ultimate goal is $60,000.

Who is going to be the first to donate $10??

https://sites.google.com/a/nd.edu/ndclass12/donate


You ROCK!

Angie

Why I am shaving my head (Part 1)

There are so many reasons that I want to shave my head... but a big one is to raise awareness of children's cancer.
  • Cancer is the #1 disease killer of children in the U.S. and Canada
  • Worldwide 160,000 kids are diagnosed with cancer each year
  • Every 3½ minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer
  • One in five children diagnosed with cancer will not survive
  • Two thirds of childhood cancer patients will have a long lasting chronic condition from the very treatment that helped save their lives




Pictured above are my nieces Kailyne & Gabrielle & I on the 4th of July of 2010. The are both healthy on the inside and out. Their beautiful smiles and open hearts melt my heart every time. They live about 1,000 miles away from me in Lawton, OK. Since they live so far away, we don't get to play together very often... but I am so happy they are healthy & can to do whatever it is they dream of. Kailyne, 6 years old, is growing her gorgeous blonde hair out right now to donate to Locks of Love. Gabrielle actually has a friend in kindergarden that is fighting cancer.

While I'm blessed to have healthy nieces... not everyone does. The statistics above are terrifying and need to change. As I go to bed tonight my heart is heavy for all of the moms & dads, aunts & uncles, and brothers & sisters of kids that have been lost to cancer. But as I think of their lives I realize that God had His hand on their lives. James 1:17 says that, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." And then I can't help but think of Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." And while I believe these verses with my whole self, I pray that these kids can be spared if there is any way. And I pray for a break-through for the doctors and the researchers who are desperately trying to find a cure.

Passionately, Angie

2.24.2011

What is Beauty?



I got my hair done this morning! It is a vibrant red with blonde highlights. I asked for something dramatic and this sure is... I figured I might as well get a little crazy with my color since I'm shaving it all off anyway right?? I'm really happy with the results... Call UHS at 574 631 5144 & ask to book an appointment with Maria if you like what you see :)


Today I have been a little bit self-conscious since this color is such a big change for me. For me these hair changes are DECISIONS that come along with questions. What would look the best? Will it flatter my face? Is it too crazy? What will people think? Will it fit into what I think 'perfect' looks like? Will people like it?


The need to be perfect is an expectation that people put on themselves all the time... and it's a problem. I don't have time to end this blog all nice & tidy, answering all the questions that are running through my mind... but watch this video by Pink and realize that today's youth is watching us. They put their trust in us, they are going to be like us.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3GkSo3ujSY


What does all that have to do with this cause? While is isn't directly related to St. Baldrick's, one of the reasons I am shaving my head is to figure out... "What is Beauty?"

2.23.2011

Fundraising Day 1

A few of the employees put their hard earned tips into the bowl today. Money they could have used to pay their mortgage, buy groceries, or clothe their kids.

WHY did they donate? They are already going to volunteer their time & shave heads & put in extensions for the event. Isn’t that enough? Why did they also give up their hard earned money? I think they did it because that bowl looked pretty empty at first. Because they wanted be supportive and to raise money for children's cancer research. I think they did it because they are generous at heart and love to give. I can’t help but love them for it. And I can't help but thank God for having His hand on my co-workers and this fundraiser.

 I am so thankful to work with so many kind hearted, go-with-the-flow people. Working is a salon, like any job, can be stressful. We make 100% commission, so if there are no clients... there is no money. I know that University Hair Stylists started out as & is still a family business. There is something very special about working with people that have a history with each other. Although there are a few of us that don't share in that familial tie, I can honestly say that I feel at home in that salon.


Today I went into work at noon. Right once I got there we put up a sign & put out a jar to start collecting money in... Between 12 & 9 we, as a salon, raised 25 dollars! I think this is great start... a team of stylists working together for a greater cause. <3

2.22.2011

Testing 1, 2, 3...

Today I thought... I'm going to make a blog today. Turns out it is a little more complicated than I expected, so be please be patient as I change & perfect this page.

This blog is going to track my progress as I submerge myself in fundraising for "The Bald & The Beautiful 2011: ND Fights Cancer." I know you are dieing for details and don't worry... I'll tell you more in a future update. All I know is I'll have a beautiful bald head in approximately 50 days! Ahhhh, so excited!!