Would you like to be on our mailing list to receive periodic newsletters about our progress toward Prom 2012? Simply send Amanda a quick e-mail at amacasa@ymail.com, and you will be added to our list. Thanks!
It’s official– We’re official!!!! May 17, 2011
This afternoon everyone at the Ocean Shores Post Office around 2:45 heard a squeal of delight, as I opened the OFG box and discovered a letter from the IRS within! I think I am probably THE ONLY Ocean Shores resident looking forward to mail from the IRS! The letter was a congratulatory one stating that our little program has indeed been granted non-profit, tax exempt, 501 c 3 status from the United States Internal Revenue Service! This is one of those moments I can’t only be satisfied by a job I did well, but must also be grateful for the financial generosity that covered this cost AND for the grace of a God that seems to like what we got goin on here! Halelujah!
Operation Fairy Godmother 2011…Mission Accomplished! May 9, 2011
Wow! What can I say?! Our first ever Operation Fairy Godmother of Ocean Shores was a beautiful success! Our 10 Cinderellas made every hour of planning and prepping worthwhile! The community of Ocean Shores has embraced us so warmly and enthusiastically… of course; this town loves its young people! We knew this would be a “learning year” for us, and we plann on wasting no time in preparing for next year’s mission. Still though, it is nice to breathe a sigh of relief and take time to relish this moment of successful accomplishment. I am just so very thankful… to the beautiful young ladies who allowed us into their lives and this important event, to my fellow Fairy Godmothers and all their talent, hard work, and dedication, to this wonderful town in which I live, and mostly to God for providing it all- the vision of such an endeavor, making it a priority for so many people here in Ocean Shores, bringing the young ladies we had the pleasure to serve our way, and all the resources that went into pulling it off. Students of North Beach, you do indeed matter, and you are indeed loved!
The Cinderella Experience April 5, 2011
I can hardly believe it! Our “main event,” the one day all this planning (well, ok, not ALL the planning) has been about, is THIS SATURDAY! April 9 is the day our Cinderellas are coming to find their dresses, shoes, jewelry, and make appointments for their Prom Day Make-overs. We are all so very excited! Look for pictures to be coming soon after!
February Meeting February 1, 2011
Our monthly meeting for February is being held at Fairy Sara’s house on Friday the 18th at 6:30. More information can be found on our Facebook page, OFG- Operation Fairy Godmother of Ocean Shores.
Kiwanis Luncheon February 1, 2011
This afternoon, Operation Fairy Godmother of Ocean Shores was invited as the presenters at the weekly business meeting of Kiwanis of Ocean Shores . After enthusiastic support and encouragement was shown us by the extremely friendly philanthropic group, we were handed a check for $500! We are so honored that this group- known for tirelessly supporting the youth of our community-would give us their “stamp of approval,” let alone follow that up with such an unexpected and generous donation!
Thank you!
Important Dates January 24, 2011
Please go to the “What We Are Up To” category for some “save the dates” information!
Important Dates January 24, 2011
Prom is set for May 7, 2011, and that day is fast-approaching! Here are some dates and times to pencil in for OFG activities and Prom preparations.
April 8 @ 3:00p.m. (tentatively) we will be transforming Faith Community Church’s main meeting room into a department store! All able-bodied godmothers and godfathers are welcome to come help out!
April 9 will be our main event, Shopping Day. Most of us are planning on being there early and all day long. Specific times for specific needs will be posted soon.
May 7, Prom Day, will need to be reserved for anyone skilled & willing to help with hair, nails, make-up and all the other “final touches.”
Letter to the Interested December 23, 2010
I am so thankful that you are so ready to be a part of this! Our high school liaison has reported the official date of Prom this year (first weekend May), so we are a little more prepared to answer some of the questions we are receiving. …Yes, there is only one Prom, and OFG of Ocean Shores is hoping to give priority to Seniors for donations. The way Operation Fairy Godmother programs traditionally work is by having a sort of “main event” about a month before Prom where all the students with need (through applications and faculty/ community nominations) come and “shop.” This year, Faith Community Church is allowing us to use their facility for this Shopping Day. There will be “departments” (dresses, shoes, jewelry, hand-bags, make-up), a personal shopper for each girl, as well as dressing rooms, fitters for alterations, and snacks. The young men will have a more limited selection of gas cards, restaurant certificates, corsages. There will also be a “day of” event donated by Salon Maude who is opening its doors strictly for OFG hair and make-up styling. People interested in helping with hair and make-up are welcome to come help. While it is our intention to freely and generously lavish these students with a wonderful Prom experience, we also recognize that often more value is placed on something one can say he/she “owns.” With that in mind (and for no other financial reason) each student that comes will pay a flat price for what they choose to take advantage of. The price (somewhere between $7 & $10- haven’t decided yet) will be the same for the girl who just goes home with a dress and the girl who gets something from each department and shows up for hair and make-up. The date we are considering for the main shopping event is during the first weekend in April (plenty of time for alterations, etc). You are right about our having girls of all shapes and sizes, and not only that, but we have some very talented seamstresses excited about helping out too! Any donation is valuable and useful (even if simply for material to make wraps!). Faith Community has also generously arranged heated storage for all our donated items, and items can be dropped off at the church. The secretary calls and lets me know something has been dropped, and I go put it in the storage house. You are welcome to drop any donations off there any time, however, we are still completing our 501 3C process and are unable to give any receipts for tax purposes as of yet, however a letter of thanks can be requested. I hope this helps a little. Have a look around this website or “friend” us on Facebook for more information. Please stay in touch and let us know if there is any other info you’d appreciate. Thank you again so very much!
Activities Narrative December 23, 2010
Operation Fairy Godmother of Ocean Shores
The mission of Operation Fairy Godmother of Ocean Shores is to help provide a special prom experience for high school students whose personal or financial situations limit their ability to attend. As an isolated community with a small economy, many North Beach students fall into this category of need every year, and for some, namely our Seniors, Prom will be their last opportunity to participate in this special high school celebration. In fact, just as the first proms were given to help America recover from the Great Depression and World War II, it is perhaps during a time of recession and in a place of little means that a memorable prom experience is most valuable.
Our roles in facilitating this mission include:
*Securing donations in the way of money, gowns, make-up, shoes, accessories, dinner vouchers, drivers, gas cards, etc. for use on the night of prom,
*Securing a venue for the main event, where students will “shop for” all items needed for a “magical” prom experience,
*Gathering volunteers for the roles of liaisons, seamstresses, personal shoppers/attendants, decorators, and logistics,
*Developing a system for determining eligibility.
Our goal for the future of this organization is to establish a permanent non-profit charity whose sole design is to “grant the wish” of any high school student wanting to attend his/her prom. It is our wish that this group will be established in such a way that it will continue to live on year after year to aid the need of future students as well.
The way our program will work is by having a sort of “main event” about a month before Prom where all the students with need (through applications and faculty/ community nominations) come and “shop.” This year, Faith Community Church in Ocean Shores is allowing us to use their facility for this Shopping Day. There will be “departments” (dresses, shoes, jewelry, hand-bags, make-up), a personal shopper for each girl, as well as dressing rooms, fitters for alterations, and snacks. This year, the young men will have a more limited selection of gas cards, restaurant certificates, corsages, but we hope to grow OFG of Ocean Shores for coming years to include attire for the young men as well. There will also be a “day of” event donated by Salon Maude (also of Ocean Shores) who is opening its doors strictly for OFG hair and make-up styling.
While it is our intention to freely and generously lavish these students with a wonderful Prom experience, we also recognize that often more value is placed on something one can say he/she “owns.” With that in mind (and for no other financial reason) each student that comes will pay a flat price for what they choose to take advantage of. The price (somewhere between $7 & $10- haven’t decided yet) will be the same for the girl who just goes home with a dress and the girl who gets something from each department and shows up for hair and make-up. This money will go directly back into the program for dry-cleaning, alteration, or other costs/ needed items.
To date, our activities have included securing donations of the following: 50 formal dresses, 20 pair formal shoes, ten hand bags, various jewelry items, make-up samples, five strapless bras, and one gift certificate for a pizza; meeting with administration at the high school to begin the application process for needy students; monthly meetings for organization and planning purposes; sending a letter of information to our local paper; being interviewed by the editor of the Community Club’s periodical; acquiring a post office box; creating a website; and beginning this process of attaining non-profit status. This final activity will allow us to pursue financial donations, as we will be able to open a bank account as well as make our potential donors feel secure about our intent and legitimacy.
