January 8, 2009

Girls who give back

National Charity League gears up for March celebration

By Carol Rosen
Editor

For the past six years, 15 local girls have gone over and above their high school requirements for community service and, in some cases, worked with their moms to give back to the community in various ways to a number of philanthropic groups.

Late last year, the NCL girls got together at the park at Meridian and Camden Avenues to pose for the Times. The girls, include, top row from the left, Devin Fuller, Beth Keenan, Cassie Marshall and Gianna Duran; middle row, Morgan Gahagan, Alison Nieuwsma, Casey Donovan, Emily Engfelt and Robyn Matsumoto; and bottom row, Amy Georgiou, Nicole Rottjakob, Jane Tenboer, Miranda Gahagan, Cathie Myers and Anna McMaster. Photo by Carol Rosen

In early March, their particular group, the National Charity League, will give back to them in the group’s annual Senior Presents to be held this year at the Corinthian Center in downtown San Jose on Saturday, March 7.

The girls, most of whom joined the group along with their mothers when they were in seventh grade, have met monthly within their age groups planning activities and working together. Each year, they rotate official duties so that each girl also gets to learn various leadership responsibilities in serving as president, secretary, treasurer, historian and so forth. Mothers also attend their own monthly meetings.

“Most of the mothers and daughters participate in more philanthropic activities than the amount required,” said Joy Matsumoto, who is co-chair along with M.J. Marshall of Senior Presents. In seventh and 12th grades, the girls must complete 20 hours and in eighth through 11th, they must do 30 hours. Each year also offers a different focus from senior citizens to homeless to the American Cancer Society and to those leaving violent homes. And, that’s in addition to their high school commitments.

Senor Presents features a number of activities including an introduction of what the organization is all about from president Ann Sheridan to honoring the 15 girls who have spent the past six years giving back to their communities. The mothers also are honored for their part and given a rose from their daughters during part of the program.

This year’s theme is Breakfast at Tiffany’s and while it may suggest a jewel-encrusted evening, that’s pretty far from the truth. In fact, this month the senior girls and their moms are meeting together with some of the moms bringing breakfast foods and others bringing blue boxes and white ribbons. The food will go into the boxes and the girls will distribute it to House of Grace, a shelter for victims of abuse or those without homes.

Also during the evening, the girls and their moms will reminisce about their six years and the work they have done together, the moms will read a poem or sing a song that is part of a video showing the girls and their mothers working over the past six years. In addition, the girl’s mothers are making 11 by 14 memory boards outlined with photos taken during their life at NCL along with a special poem or story from their mothers. The boards will be displayed throughout the Corinthian Room.

The girls will thank their grade level advisors and their fathers—there is a father/daughter event held each year—and will dance the first dance with their fathers. The girls get to select the music for the dance.

The girls will wear long white gowns and their mothers will be in black—short or long dresses or pantsuits. At the end of the program, guests get to eat dinner. Each girl brings at least her parents and can invite as many family members and friends as they are willing to pay for. Girls who are juniors and their mothers also may attend to see the ceremony so they know what to expect. They can eat dinner or can just come for the ceremony, dessert and drinks, a boon to families in the current economic situation.

After dinner there is dancing and friends that may not have attended the dinner are invited.