This week a lovey young lady came into the office by the name of Hayley Greer. Rising Star Outreach is humbled and amazed at her love and charity for others and I can't wait until you read her story. Hayley has started her own business with Pampered Chef and her Grand Opening is on September 26th. This is what she says on her Pampered Chef
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I have made a promise to myself that I would donate 50% of my profits to help people with leprosy. That's half of every dollar. My first goal is to earn enough money to buy a goat to donate so that somebody can have their own business just like me. I agree with my mom that it is good to help other people and not just buy things I want all the time. This is a picture of me and my big sister. I remember when she was a teenager and she crocheted leprosy bandages. I want to be just like her.
Hayley's mother Susan told this story of her daughters decision:
"I have always wished I could be rich and spend all my time endowing others with gifts. But alas that was not to be but my mother did teach me to "bloom where you are planted". So in an effort to teach my children service, and with the constraints of raising a child with a disability, my husband and I thought to undertake opening our home to foster children for a year or two, which turned into nineteen years. My husband and I then turned our attention to working with people with disabilities full time.
Because children with disabilities have so many limitations in their formative years, it is normal for their entire existence to center around what they can't do instead of what they can do. My daughter enjoys the positive feedback she derives from spending time with non-disabled people. All the encouraging words such as, "way to go Hayley", "good job", "I'm proud of you" are things she hears in an INCLUSIVE environment. Parents of disabled children struggle with ways to bring these opportunities into the lives of their children.
Hayley and I were recently invited to a Pampered Chef Party and somehow I felt inclined to go. I didn't know why as I usually avoid such events. A basket was passed around with envelopes that you could either pass or take one to see if you were going to win a prize or host a party. I decided to pass. When the basket came to Hayley I cringed inside thinking, "now you're stuck, you're going to have to host a party". Sure enough it said "Host a Party". As I watched the remainder of the demonstration, I noticed how excited Hayley was getting when she talked with others, wanting to try the tools, and I recalled all the hours she spent watching cooking infomercials, and the cooking gadgets she bought on her Disneyland adventures. The idea quickly formed in my head that not only might she enjoy this opportunity but I would enjoy the time spent with her cooking. Cooking has always been one of my favorite hobbies. Children with disabilities often have difficulty finding activities that they enjoy that are on their parent's level. I cannot convey how excited she was when her Pampered Chef apron came in the mail. Nor can you imagine her giddiness as I drove her around the neighborhood passing out invitations to her Grand Opening next Thursday (September 26th). She has already increased in her small motor and cooking skills.
When I mentioned the idea of donating part of her profits to charity she loved the idea. I reminded her of an activity that we did at home last year when we looked at different humanitarian projects. She remembered her sister crocheting a leprosy bandage many years ago and declared with enthusiasm that she wanted to work for people with leprosy. I did some research for her and shared what I found. She was dead set that she wanted to buy somebody a goat for her first donation. She and I are hopeful that we will be able to find somebody wanting to host a party in Utah County so that she will be able to feel the importance of having employment of her choosing, increase her social interaction skills, receive positive feedback, and be able to contribute to a cause outside of her own little world."
Hayley, like so many others are an example of pure love and sacrifice. We are truly so proud of Hayley and all of our other fundraisers for all that you sacrifice and do to move this work along and lift those with leprosy. We love hearing and sharing your moving stories.
If anybody wants to host a party they should contact Hayley through her website:http://new.pamperedchef.com/
Want to know Hayley and her mom a little better? Visit: http://walkedinyourshoes.blogspot.com/
GOOD LUCK HAYLEY!
- Thursday, September 26, 2013
- 2 Comments
