Learning Communication, Leadership, and Perseverance (Needs Photo)
Sarina T., Glen Rock High School President, shares how GlamourGals has shaped her as a leader and describes her future goals for expanding GlamourGals in her community.
GlamourGals is so important to my community because it is a cause that almost everyone can relate to. Most people have had parents and grandparents that have been in a senior home before or have in general become distant in their old age. Even if the members of my chapter are not influencing their specific family members, we are helping other seniors who deserve the same love and support. One fundraiser for our club that has become a tradition in our community is to sell baked goods at the little league baseball games each year. The community loves supporting our cause and of course, enjoys the baked goods we give them in return. It is also a hit amongst the chapter volunteers who love spending the time outside while raising money.
Throughout my time at GlamourGals I have gone above and beyond serving the seniors in my community by helping them further than just the manicures and makeovers. One memory that I am very fond of is the time I spent with a woman named Marie in a nearby senior home. She was not a very talkative person, but she always smiled at me every time I did her makeover. I was not informed of this information at the time, but she was in the memory care unit. One month, she came down to the event with only one shoe on. I figured she must have injured the other foot, and could not put on a shoe so I did not question it but halfway through our event she became distressed that she did not have another shoe. I tried to find a person to assist at the senior home but they did not end up sending anyone and instead told me to take her up to her bedroom myself. I was extremely worried about Marie and I wanted to help her in any way possible. I ended up helping her onto her couch and giving her a blanket to take a nap. I still miss Marie, as due to Covid we have not been able to go back to that senior home, but I still send her personalized letters about my life and ask about her family, in hopes of keeping our friendship strong.
GlamourGals has helped me improve my communication skills and it has shaped me as a leader. When talking to the seniors, they all have different needs. Some of them just want a friend to listen to them while others want companionship and enjoy listening to volunteers talking to them, without needing to respond back. I have learned how to judge each situation but most importantly, how to listen. I have always been a talker, but I have learned that being a great leader is not just telling others what to do, but about listening to feedback and truly understanding what those around you need.
GlamourGals has also taught me to be tough and to persevere through hardships. Despite the fact that we could not go see the seniors these past few years due to covid, the entire GG team made sure that we never gave up. Even when it became frustrating to be locked at home, I would rely on my chapter in letter-writing zooms and arts and crafts events. GlamourGals is a cause I care about so deeply that I even got my entire school to participate in our letter-writing events. I am part of the student council at my high school, and through this program, the school hosted a “Cookies and Cocoa” event where my peers could come get a glass of hot chocolate and a cookie and write a holiday card for a senior. It was my chapter’s biggest event ever, and I was so grateful that I was able to share one of my favorite experiences with the rest of my school.
My GG experience has taught me how valuable a “manicure and a makeover” can truly be. Since I started this club, I have sat with my own grandmother in her apartment to paint her nails; not only do we both have a fun time doing it, but I love watching her smile every time she looks down at her hands and sees the red sparkly polish she adores. I have also started helping my little sister put on makeup when she has parties to go to. Something about these acts is so intimate that it truly connects the two people on a deeper level.
Additionally, I hope to be able to implement a middle school extension of our club to further integrate it into the community. My sister will be in eighth grade next year and she has come on some of our volunteer trips in the past, so she will assist in promoting GlamourGals to the middle school. I am so proud of how much my chapter has developed and spread into the community since I founded it sophomore year. I hope it continues to be a pillar in the lives of the volunteers and the Glen Rock community.
