New Years Eve Party

On New Years Eve, I was asked to volunteer with the Cardiovascular Disease Foundation for the annual New Years party. My dad and I went to the doctor’s mansion to help with the guest list for the party. Because there were over 130 guests on the list, my dad and I, as well as three other volunteers had to stand outside of the doctor’s mansion (who was throwing on the party) and check the guests of the list. A few times we had people come up who weren’t on the list, and I was faced with a difficult decision. I couldn’t just chase them away, and they were so nicely dressed I had to let them in. But I would take their name and number down, especially if they hadn’t paid yet or told us that they had already paid. The ticket prices were about 125-150 per person, and all of the money was given 100% to the Cardiovascular Disease Foundation. I think it was such a nice contribution-having these wealthy doctors spend their own money to put on a very distinguished party in their mansion, with a DJ, dance floor, bartender and caterer as well as giving all the proceeds to a nonprofit organization. It is really a great feeling to know that you are helping a bigger cause than yourself. I can see myself, when I become a doctor, helping do the same thing. I would love to help give part of my own money and earnings to charities and nonprofit organizations-to help give back to the community. Because they helped me get where I am, and it’s my turn to help give back.

Big Bay Balloon Parade

Today was the big bay balloon parade down in San Diego- my friend Tiana and I went down early in the morning with my parents to volunteer in holding the giant balloons for America’s largest balloon parade. Ruben Galvan, from San Diego’s channel 6, he interviewed both Tiana and myself and asked us questions about the parade. It was such a neat experience to be able to be on TV and actually remain cool, calm, and collected while being interviewed. Because I was walking with the dinosaur (Triceratops) -I had to wear a cavewoman costume complete with a bone, leopard vest, and stretchy brown pants. I wanted to put my hair up with the bone-but it ended up getting too tangled in my hair and my mom and I got so frustrated, we just gave it up. When it was finally time for the parade to start, Tiana and I both went to the balloon with the other volunteers and learned how to hold the ropes correctly and raise and lower the Triceratops. I realized real quickly that pulling a balloon isn’t as easy as it looks, and that it requires a lot of arm strength and attention. The wind was blowing ridiculously hard and the other volunteers and I had to hold on the rope without wrapping the rope around my hands and wrists! Quite a difficulty! But the look on the children’s faces in the crowd made it worth it. I walked down the parade route with a huge smile on my face and roared like a barbarian to everyone watching. It was such a fun experience and I really enjoyed actually walking around in the parade instead of sitting in a car waving. Change is good-and a lot of times it what we really need. Doing the same thing over and over again is not a bad thing, but think about all the possibilities of just changing things up a little bit; it could make things a lot more interesting throughout the course of our lifetime.

Blood Mobile at Henrys Market

Last weekend, my mother and I volunteered at Henrys Market for the American Red Cross. It was exciting that it was not raining and I was really excited to be able to work with the people again and hear their stories for why they help save lives. It was a great day, a beautiful one I mean, and there was not a cloud in the sky. I introduced myself to every person, with a huge smile on my face and if there was a long wait-I would simply ask them questions about why they are giving their time to help save lives. In the beginning, the computers hadn’t arrived and so I had to tell the people to be patient and offered them snacks. One mother brought both of her children to give blood and it made me realize that I can actually start giving blood soon. My birthday is in January and I can start giving blood to the American Red Cross when I am the age of 17. Now that I think of it, I just might start giving blood after the New Year. I want to be able to help save lives, I mean how amazing would that be if I could give blood –and help give people another chance at life-a chance to be able to live life again to the fullest and do the things that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.

East County Toy and Food Drive

Last week, I was invited to come volunteer at the Salvation Army’s toy and food drive. I arrived with my mom at around 7 am, and we went into the empty warehouse building where the other volunteers were waiting and they showed us how the whole operation is going to work. The head of the entire drive told us how we would be given huge bags for each family, and take them through the tables filled with toys, with three toys for each kid, and then help them put the gifts in the bag, and get a bag of food at the end. I was nervous because I was hoping that I wouldn’t mess up, or accidently cheat a kid out of a Christmas toy. But, surprisingly enough, the families were very easy to work with. Even if they couldn’t understand what I was saying very well, they still were able to understand the rules of picking only one toy for each child at each table. What made it totally worth it, was the look on their face when they saw all the toys and how they could pick almost anything they wanted for their child, it was a completely amazingly rewarding experience. The fact that I could help be a part of that time for a mother or a father to help give their child a little bit of holiday cheer, whether through a bike, a Barbie doll or a toy car, it was still the fact that I could help make that families holiday a little bit better, a little bit happier.

Helping fill up bags!

Look at all the bikes people donated!!

With some fellow Workers :)

National City Home Town Buffet Ribbon Cutting-3

Last weekend, I went down to El Cajon for the reopening of the Home Town Buffet. The manager and director of community relations gave me and my mother a tour of the new and refurbished restaurant and even allowed us to have a complimentary breakfast, on them, to see and enjoy the new tastes. The food was absolutely delicious and I could not believe just how nice everyone was being!  Miss El Cajon Teen and Miss Rancho San Diego also arrived to support the event and Miss Rancho San Diego blessed all of the people there with a beautiful performance of “Star Spangled Banner” which she sang gorgeously. The manager and vice president of the Home Town Buffet made a speech about each and every person on their staff, and members of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce who had helped support them with the opening and then reopening. The vice president even thanked me for coming! After the speeches, ribbon cutting, and pictures, the director of community relations asked me for my card and email so that they could invite me and have me at the other events. I was completely honored-for they had not asked the other girls to attend their other ribbon cuttings. This means that they say me interact with other people and realized that that was the face they wanted to be seen with their company. You always have people watching you, even if you are aware of it or not. Its something you should definitely know-going into life. Because it pays off, especially if people like what they see.

With the Mayor of National City

Adorable little dance team

Something was apparently funny

Dancers from the local high school

( P.S. YES , I did dye my hair)

Home Town Buffet Ribbon Cutting-2

Last Weekend, My dad and I were invited to another grand reopening of a Home Town Buffet! The cool thing about being able to go this reopening was that this restaurant was the original Home Town Buffet, where it all started. When I first arrived, the managers were kind enough to give my father and I a complementary breakfast! We ate so much food, but of course I tried to be ladylike while I ate their delicious meal. I even had orange sorbet, which ended up slightly dying my teeth and lips orange-Woops! But there’s nothing a good glass of water cant fix. Then it was time for the ribbon cutting. Everyone was ushered to the front of the restaurant where a balloon arch was, and a small carnival had been set up in the parking lot right in front of the Home Town Buffet. The local school had their band and pep dancers performing, with the most glamorous green and black costumes. The vice president of the Home Town Buffet began to speak in the microphone and introduced all of the great management teams and special guests: including me and the Icee Bear and Bee Mascot of the Home Town Buffet. Also, one of the pep dancers came to the microphone and blessed us all with her gorgeous voice singing the National Anthem. Then the ribbon cutting was quick and fast, my dad barely had time to snap pictures of the falling ribbon. A few little girls came up to me, as well as older men, and asked for pictures. I absolutely love taking pictures with little children, they are so adorable, and precious and are so in awe of my crown and banner, its quite adorable. Finally, after the paparazzi event had ended, I decided to go the carnival. I played a variety of games, such as ring toss, a penny game, and one game where you have to hit a plastic frog into a basket. After winning a lot of tickets, and getting a air brushed flower tattoo, I decided to give my tickets to a little girl. Honestly what was I going to do with 30 tickets that only won me little plastic skateboards and pencils. And the look on her face-of complete shock and happiness, made it so much more worth it.

The original HomeTown Buffet

Picking my airbrush tattoo

Viejas Casino Toy Drive

On Wednesday, I was invited to work with the Salvation Army at their East County Food and

Toy Drive

at the Viejas Casino. It was my job to sell raffle tickets to the people that came in, so that they could win 1 out of 4 opportunity prizes. I was selling one ticket for $5, three tickets for $10 and a arms length for $20. So many people were excited to pay me the $20 because they wanted to see me stretch my arms out as far as possible, and give those around 30 to 40 tickets for their money. There were so many great prizes there, Barbie dolls that have never been opened, purses, wine, even a life-size cardboard statue of Edward Cullen! I had to take a picture next to him, for good laughs. But I was so surprised to see how generous everyone was. Viejas Casino donated 300 toys as well as giving a $10,000 check to the Salvation Army to get toys and clothes for all the children. And people would bid outrageous prices on bikes, tickets, wine and many other things. I was also in charge of the auction. When someone would win an auctioned Item, it was my job to go find them, and have them sign a paper with their name and how much they bought it for. It was really great to just see how much everyone wanted to give and help the community. I think that’s its moments like that, where everyone is working together to make the lives of others better-that’s when you can see how much we can change the world, even if its just one toy at a time.