Testimonials
"Day of Beauty" Testimonials
Hi Gloria,
I’m so sorry our assignment desk was not able to get a reporter or photographer to your event today. The news priorities of the day (all the flooding problems) dictated we put our resources there. Nonetheless, I sincerely hope it was a grand success. The kids and their teachers deserved all the special treatment. You remain one of the most inspiring people in our community, with a heart of gold. You are truly making a difference in people’s lives in a very tangible way.
I hope you are able to get some rest after all the planning and organizing for Day of Beauty. (You deserve to put your feet up for a minute).
Continue the great giving work that you and your supporters do. And thank you for staying in touch. I’m looking forward to keeping up with your endeavors.
Many blessings, Dear Brenda, I am really looking forward to your coverage on the special event coordinated by Gloria Owczarski for the "Day of Beauty" for special needs kids and their teachers. When Gloria emailed me about this event, even though I got on board late, I got on board! I think it is SUCH a FANTASTIC idea - and Gloria's heart is so HUGE - she just makes people want to join in because you know not only is it the right thing to do - it will be FUN! What a wonderful combination! Unfortunately, even though I had planned to participate that day, a family emergency prevented me from attending. However, I was able to raise a little bit of money for Gloria on pretty short notice - and she is already collaborating on how to get started for an even bigger event next year. I am certain as we get word out, more people will be finding this a great event to get involved in! I know I will be seriously more involved next year - and one of our initiatives for next year is to get her "Nonprofit" status so more people will donate $'s and goods! I know your coverage will be a huge boost for an event that is quite simply a gesture from the heart - from Gloria's heart and her love for her sister and her "compadres". I've even told her I think this could go city-wide, state-wide and eventually, National! Perhaps she can one day be blessed to host you AND Oprah? One can ALWAYS dream! (and if you're going to shoot for a goal - make it a big one!) :-) Thanks very much for your interest in getting the word out on this very special day/event. You are our FAVORITE - 1st Newslady of Atlanta! (even BEFORE this!) :-) Sincerely, Jean Melvin Alpharetta, GA (FYI - This is the first year we've participated in the event - because even though we've known Gloria and her husband Greg for a few years now, we've only known them "informally" as they adopted their dog, "Lucy" from us. Who knew what we were missing?!!) Jean Melvin Operational Metrics Enterprise Infrastructure & Operations 770-740-5716 Dear Brenda Wood, Our daughter, Karen, was asked to join the "Day of Beauty" for the second year. She was so looking forward to the event and was not disappointed! Karen also swims with Gloria's Fri. aft Special Olympics practice team. Gloria is a really "special" person herself. Besides being a friend & role model to our daughter, age 20 with Down Syndrome, she spends countless hours organizing this "Day" which could be a role model for many other communities around the state & the country. But, that's your job! Please let the world know what a great idea Gloria has in this venture & the smiles the participants have afterward & for years to come. Thanks,Gloria! susan Susan Valentino Hi Gloria,
Happy New Year! Hope you had a wonderful holiday.
Thanks for keeping me updated on your Day of Beauty year after year. You are a blessing to so many people. Just want you to know I appreciate all that you do for our community. You are a gift!
May God continue to bless you.
Brenda Wood News Anchor, WXIA TV
Hey Gloria! We had the best time! Thank you so much for letting us host this event! It was truly magical for everyone involved! Thanks! Emily Allen Paul Mitchell The School - Atlanta 404.888.0070 Gloria you are just the most wonderful woman I think I have ever met! We are so excited just to be involved! We are more than happy to help you get all of this done : ) Again, I am here thru Saturday this week so feel free to drop anything off here as you get it and we can get working on those goodie bags! Let me know what I can to do help : ) We are really excited about being a part of your event! Monica McKim Admissions Leader 887 West Marietta Street NW Suite A Atlanta, GA 30318 office: 404-888-0070 ext. 31 cell: 404-368-5907 We would like to thank you for allowing us to come to “Day of Beauty.” It was absolutely amazing to see everyone receiving services and being pampered. We had messages and enjoyed the atmosphere, entertainment, and of course the food. We had a great time staff and our participants. We danced and just enjoyed being around like minded people. Thanks again and we look forward to next year.
Sincerely, Miguel Sykes : The Frazer Center Gloria, Thank you so much for extending this opportunity to our young people and staff. Their confidence and self-esteem is through the roof. We would like to extend a personal thank you, can you provide us the name of your staff and volunteers?
Shemeka Frazier-Sorrells, M.S Program Director | TransitionZ | CHRIS Kids Office: 404-564-0078 | Mobile: 404-281-3845 | Fax 404-564-0082| shemeka.frazier @chriskids.org 1017 Fayetteville Rd., Suite B, Atlanta, GA 30316 | www.chriskids.org Hi Gloria! You are amazing! This was my first year volunteering and I was very impressed by how smoothly everything was run. I had a great time today and can't wait for next year's event. Thanks for organizing this event... I will be spreading the word!!! Take care! Kenyetta White Gloria, Just wanted to say thank you to you! What a wonderful event that you put together. It was so encouraging to see so many people coming together to do something special for teenagers with special needs. The volunteers were great. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. AJ was wonderful, thank you for that special treat for me. Emily was certainly content (if she was unhappy everyone would have known it). She enjoyed the music and ate 4 bags of chips (hey that is golden to her). Thank you for allowing us to come and be a part of A Day of Beauty. It was special to do this just with my daughter. Thank you again. Sincerely, Stephanie King I just wanted to say THANK YOU for such a wonderful day! My girls had an incredible time!!!!! They were so excited to be there and loved every minute of it!
You did an amazing job setting everything up!!!! Everyone that was there to work on our special friends were fantastic and wonderful! I loved every minute of it!
Thank you, for what you did for my girls (and everyone that came!)!!!!!!
DebbieJ
Debbie Parrish, CTRS Fayette County Parks & Recreation Department 140 West Stonewall Avenue Fayetteville, GA 30214 Office: 770.716.4325 Fax: 770.460.1931 Thank you Gloria!!! You did another amazing job orchestrating everything today. Our students and staff had a blast, and they look great! Thank you again for inviting us! Courtney Sievers Gwinnett High School Gloria, The kids are still talking about the fun they had at "The Day of Beauty."
Everything was done in such excellence! Can't wait 'til next year-- I know that it will be even better. Again, thanks for your generosity! Johnny Toombs, Towers High School The teachers and staff from Stephenson High School want to personally Thank you all for your generosity. Our students truly felt like Kings and Queens. Some of our girls walked into a salon for the first time in their life and they did not know what to expect. But when they finished, you could just see the joy in there face and you knew they felt beautiful. I cannot find the words to tell you how much our students (and us) enjoyed everything. From the massages, the nails, the facials, the haircuts (and color), the food and the gifts. But most of all, we enjoyed the atmosphere, everyone's positive attitude made our students truly feel as if "They were the most important people in the world" Thank you ALL sooooooo much. From the Teachers and staff of Stephenson High School Pamela Tucker-Gorden Classroom Teacher Resource Department Independent Living Skills Program Stephenson High School 678-676-4202 Pamela_Tucker-Gorden@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Today was the 7th annual Day of Beauty! (http://www.mydayofbeauty.net/) Words
can't describe this spectacular day. Photos can't really either, at
least not MY photos. They didn't turn out so hot but there were
photographers there along with the local news so I'm hoping it'll be
on TV.
Great job Gloria!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Day of Beauty today was absolutely magnificent. It is easily the best example I have ever seen of a community member building something that has such a great impact on so many public school students. Through your work and vision, you have built a huge network of dozens and dozens of individuals who donate their time, expertise and resources to benefit so many. Your leadership and the Day of Beauty are tremendous examples of how we can use our God-given gifts and talents to benefit others. Thank you for all that you do. The Day of Beauty is a blessing to many, many adults and students. John John L. O'Connor Executive Director for Special Services East DeKalb Campus 5839 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083 678-676-1876 678-676-1888 FAX john_l_oconnor@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Administrative Assistant: Hilda Bishop 678-676-1890 You outdid yourself one more time. Today was SPECTACULAR. Everyone was raving about it – techs, volunteers, teachers and of course all the students. Thanks for letting me be a part of it. You can count on me next year too!!!
Thank you for the S.O. watch. I really love it. This all has such a special place in my heart. Thanks and now go get a massage!!!!
Sara Robbins Managing Director HRworks Precision. Talent. Recruitment. 770-818-0414, Ext. 7060 – Phone 404-944-4053 - Cell 678-589-4183 - Fax You are welcome any time. You made us felt very special last year at the Day of Beauty. Thanks for everything you did then. Pictures are so wonderful. I forwarded to my colleagues. Thanks. Aruna Kocherlakota self contained special education class teacher McNair High school 678-874-4902 Aruna_Kocherlakota@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us. It was a wonderful day. Thanks for organizing it. You are a gem! It was a lot of fun and definitely a great cause.
Please continue to share the photo links as you get them.
All the best,
Miranda Great Job as always!! Thanks for inviting enyiaanise beauty bar team…..we cant wait ‘till next year !!
Letha Anise & Enyia Join Our Social Media Group: FaceBook: enyia anise What a great event you put on. It looked like
you do it every day. It is the epitome of organized chaos! Everyone
knew what they were supposed to do and just did it. The kids had such a
great time, too. So many smiles!
Thanks for including me.
Congratulations. Not only for such a well-run event
but for giving us opportunities to be helpful.
Much love,
Gay Arnieri
You did it! I don’t know how. I am convinced you must have some little elves working on all your preparations while no one is looking. However you do it, kudos to you. All I know is Rachel had a great time. Me too! Congratulations – it was a huge success and it seemed like they all had a great day! Raye Gray Hey Gloria, They event was a success and those experiencing it for the first time are all ready responding. GO GIRL! Boni Powell Special Olympics East DeKalb Campus 678-676-2131 fax: 678-676-1888 Oh how I wish I could have attended. I have heard nothing but FANTASTIC things. You are all VERY VERY special to do what you do !!!! THANK YOU so so much! Karen Baron Director, Special Education East DeKalb Campus 678-676-1878 Karen_Baron@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Hi Gloria, Congratulations on this amazing event! Sounds like it was a wild success. Kudos to you and your big heart for making this happen. How was the massage therapist turnout? Hope they came out for you! Best, Lara Bracciante, ABMP Hi Gloria,
Thank you for the sweet email and all the pics! I forwarded this
to all the stylist at fresche that worked the event. They all spoke
very highly of it and how much fun it was! We are going to strive for
next year to have our entire salon there to support you at this event!
I think it is such an inspirational and positive experience that
the PM school hosts; you all should feel a lot of pride and
happiness inside!
Thank you for letting us participate ~ we will be back!
Wow! As I finish reading this email, I am amazed at the kindness and righteousness u display! I am so upset I can't come on mon. I respect wat u do, and all the effort, time, and commitment u put into this event! Every single child and adult that benefits will be forever grateful for ur selfless giving. And don't worry G-d's got ur back tooo lol! Good luck! And we will be in touch May u be blessed! SURI BERNHARD Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile Day of Beauty
Organization:
Atlanta, GA
Awarded 03/23/2010
One of the greatest gifts volunteers can give is not money, a lesson, or a bit of time, but a new feeling or confidence in the person they are helping. “Day of Beauty” does this by offering beauty treatments to young adults with special needs and their teachers at no cost to the students or their families. Growing up with a sister with Down Syndrome, “Day of Beauty” founder Gloria Owczarski has always had an interest in the success of special needs individuals. Already a swim couch for the Special Olympics, Gloria decided she could do more. Organizing stylists and service technicians in the Atlanta area, Gloria created a Day of Beauty to give kids with special needs and their teachers a day of massages, manicures, haircuts, styling, and other beauty treatments. The volunteers participating in a Day of Beauty each year notice that their service not only leaves the participants feeling good on the outside, but on the inside as well. Many of the participants have never been to a salon, let alone experienced the attention and care given by the volunteers of a Day of Beauty. Participants leave the experience ready to show off their new looks, and share their new confidence with the world. The volunteers with Day of Beauty believe in their power to change the world. They demonstrate compassion and grace with the students and teachers involved in Day of Beauty and empower the participants to leave with a renewed sense of confidence and positive outlook on the world. Gloria Owczarski
Organization:
A Day of Beauty
Atlanta, GA
Awarded 03/10/2010
It doesn't matter what age or what walk of life, everybody loves to be pampered. Gloria Owczarski knows that, which is why she's made it her duty to organize and lead “A Day of Beauty” for young adults from Atlanta area high school special education classes and their teachers, many of whom have never been in a salon. A former salon manager, Gloria dedicates herself to giving one glorious day of makeovers every year to special needs youth and their teachers. She works all year long recruiting stylists to donate their services and a local salon to donate the space. When Gloria started “A Day of Beauty” seven years ago, 20 from the Special Olympics swim team she coaches got makeovers. This year, “A Day of Beauty” will serve over 300 students and teachers at no cost to the participants.
Gloria’s nominators could not say enough about her or “A Day of Beauty,” as Gloria not only serves the program’s participants, their teachers and parents, but she also gives individuals in the beauty industry and the surrounding community an opportunity to give back. One of Gloria’s nominators shared, “Gloria allows many of these students and teachers to experience a day where they are the stars, leaving with confidence in themselves. Not only are the participants treated to such a beautiful day, the volunteers know they have truly made a difference in the lives of these people - how much better can you get?!” Gloria Owczarski is a beautiful woman who develops confidence in the special needs young adults in her community and mobilizes industry professionals and community partners to pay it forward by making a day of memories and happy smiles for a very special group of kids. Thank you all for such a lovely time. We really enjoyed ourselves. The students loved there treats and bookbags. Mr Brown loved the food and his stainless steel mug .Ms Ball adores her nails, and I am really enjoying my haircut that Matthew came me.take care all you . arlene Arlene Eichholz Special Education Teacher Tucker High School 5036 La Vista Road Tucker GA 30084 678-874-3781 ARLENE_P_EICHHOLZ@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Gloria and stylists, My class and I want to thank everyone who took time out of their day off to minister to my kids. They had a wonderful time- so did I! We enjoyed all the great food and so much of it!! I am on weight watchers and had to"weight in" Monday evening-if not, I would have eaten one of everything.... The guys and gals who worked on the kids did an excellent job and are a fun bunch to work with. They all need to be commended for such a kind, compassionate, and giving act. My hope is that we could come back next year - if Bonnie chooses us again. Each of the vendors offered some of the most delicious foods. My kids just ate, ate, and ate. In fact today Tiara- my blind student- said she was hungry during class - so they ate the cookies we took back to class yummy!!! May the Lord keep blessing each and every one of you for your kindness to my kids and others like them. Thanks again, Ruth McNally Ruth_A_McNally@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Special Education National Board Certified Teacher Shamrock Middle 3100 Mt. Olive Drive Decatur, GA 30333 678-874-7602 Gloria, I can't thank you enough for what you and your staff did for my students this morning. It means so much that everyone gave up their day off to come do something for them. My students don't often, if ever, get treated with the care and respect that you and your staff provided today. Every person that I talked to this morning was extremely pleasant and extremely patient with my students. Several said how glad they were to be working with with my kids. You have some wonderful people there! Thank you also for pampering us teachers. I was not expecting the hair cut and chair massage that I received. I can't decide which I enjoyed most! If only I didn't have to come back to school... Actually it made coming back to reality much more bearable. I really appreciate it. Thank you again for the awesome morning. You brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people. Please thank everyone else there, too. It is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for my students and me. Many, many thanks, Beth Sheley Elizabeth P. Sheley S/PID Teacher Shamrock Middle School 3100 Mount Olive Drive Decatur, GA 30033 678-874-7703 (voice mail) 678-874-7602 (main office) elizabeth_p_sheley@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us Gloria, My students will be sending a formal thank you note, but I just had to tell you again what a wonderful day this way today. We all loved it and the students were so excited! They couldn't wait to go home and show their families how beautiful they looked. I know this took a lot of work to get this organized and I just wanted to say we all loved it and appreciate you! The staff was the best!!! Thanks for everything. Susan_A_Millen@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us 678-874-3816 It was great fun! WOW! What an operation! The kids were thrilled and the volunteers were outstanding! Tx for allowing me to be a part of it! Lucy C. Nutt, Ed.S.; CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist/AAC Specialist 634 Peachtree Pkwy, #275 Cumming, GA 30041 404-406-9330 Thank you, Boni and Gloria, and all involved. This was an exceptional event, and the students and staff all loved this event. Sincerely, Jonathan Jonathan Cates Vocational Instructor Department of Special Services DeKalb County School System East DeKalb Campus 5839 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain, Ga. 30083 Hi Gloria, My sister who died in October was with Just People and would have loved what you are doing. I was glad to hear they are participating. You are very brave to take on a challenge like this, and I admire you for doing it. Thanks and bless you - Betty Didicher "I looked at the pictures of the beautiful children. You are a true Angel amongst humans! " Elizabeth "Beth" Cole Public Affairs and Communications-EBU
Thanks to you too Gloria.....I had a great time with the folks at Paul Mitchel studio!!!.........A delightful crowd and wonderful environment... See you next year !!! Barry J Guthrie LMT NMT Hi Gloria,
Yes I was there - and I had a wonderful time. Enjoyed the kids so
much. They are truly special, special people.
J. Diane Dobson
Massage Therapist
A Touch of Serenity
Therapeutic MassageDear Ms. Owczarski, I'm writing you to thank you for arranging the Beauty Day at the Paul Mitchell Salon on Monday, May 3, 2010. My son attended from Mrs. Hunt's class at Tucker High! He had a great day and was very excited telling us all about it!! Thanks so much- Mrs. Brown P.S. His haircut was great! |
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