In August of 2005, my life was ultimately changed with the arrival of Hurricane Katrina. As a New Orleans native, it was almost unbearable as we watched helplessly from our hotel room in north Louisiana as our City was submerged in water. The months that followed were undoubtedly the hardest of my life. But, we managed to pick up the pieces, move on, and create an even better life largely because of the generosity of friends, family and even complete strangers.
My family and I were overwhelmed by the outpouring of concern, love and kindness we received. My oldest daughter was only 6 months old at the time, and thankfully does not remember a thing. However, my husband and I feel like it is very important to “pay it forward” and teach our children how to be generous, loving and kind to those in need.
While generosity is very important, as the Mom of two daughters, I want to instill strength, courage and confidence in my girls so that they may achieve their dreams and make a difference in this World. I share these values with the creators of American Girl. From the website:
“At American Girl, we celebrate girls and all that they can be. That’s why we develop products and experiences that help girls grow up in a wholesome way, while encouraging them to enjoy girlhood through fun and enchanting play.”
My oldest daughter was introduced to American Girl last year when “Santa” brought her a set of “Bitty Twins” and she has indeed been enchanted ever since. So, when I learned of American Girl’s new charitable initiative, Shine On Now, I was honored to be selected as a Parent Partner. From the press release:
“To foster a spirit of goodwill and help make the world a brighter place, American Girl is introducing Shine On Now™ — a new charitable initiative that harnesses the collective power of girls to help others in need. Through Shine On Now, American Girl is calling on girls across the country to help the company give $1 million in clothes, books, dolls, and money to the following four organizations: Kids in Distressed Situations, Save the Children U.S.A., National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions, and National Wildlife Federation.
Beginning July 13, 2010, girls can visit shineonnow.com to contribute a free ‘star’ to the effort. The goal is to collect one million stars by the end of the program on July 31, 2010. In addition, for every star a girl contributes (she can donate up to 100 each day!), her name will automatically be entered in a daily drawing to win a new My American Girl™ doll.”
Lily (with my help, of course) has already signed up as an American Girl Ambassador and downloaded the kit. She has decided that she will work to donate her stars to K.I.D.S. which helps children in need after natural disasters. I feel like this is a great way for Lily to learn about people less fortunate than she and what she can do to help.
In addition, American Girl is launching Innerstar University which is a virtual world where girls can learn to be their best in a safe and fun virtual world. Access to Innerstar University is free with each 18-inch My American Girl doll.
As mentioned above, for every star a girl contributes, her name will be entered in a daily drawing to win a new My American Girl doll. This is a new, expanded and more contemporary line of dolls! There will be even more customization options so girls can make their dolls look exactly like them!
Make sure you don’t miss a thing! Follow Shine on Now on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube!
GIVEAWAY
American Girl wants to honor the girls that are making a difference in their families, schools and communities. Right here at Experimental Mommy, you can nominate a deserving girl to win her very own My American Girl doll which she will have the opportunity to fully customize! One winner will be picked from Experimental Mommy!
How to enter:
1. Nominate a deserving girl who has made a difference in her family, school, Church or community. Please describe her selflessness and acts of kindness and generosity. Please do not disclose her name in your comments.
Additional entries:
1. Follow @agshineonnow and @BridgetteLA on Twitter and tweet this giveaway using #shineonnow. One tweet per day is allowed!
2. Fan Not So Blog and Shine on Now on Facebook and let them know you saw the giveaway on Experimental Mommy!
Contest ends at 11:59pm CST on July 31st. Prizes not claimed in 72 hours will be forfeited. Open to U.S. Residents only.
http://twitter.com/tannawings/status/19716309221
tweety
A daily tweet!
http://twitter.com/pkbailey01/status/19737263297
Retweet – http://twitter.com/Sexyknickers68/status/19756591136
http://twitter.com/sohamolina/status/19757941770
Wednesday tweet
http://twitter.com/jcamp2020/statuses/19777948128
jcamp2020 at aol dot com
Daily tweet:
http://twitter.com/girlygirlugh/status/19789815772
girlygirlugh at gmail dot com
The girl I would like to nominate has a huge heart of gold. She enjoys helping and playing with the younger kids at the child care center. She would drop anything to help someone. Through her Girl Scouts group and her 4-H group she has had the chance to reach out to others in our community and learn how amazing it is to help others. Her interests include music, horses, books, and making movies. She is a beautiful person and I am very proud to call her my daughter.
follow you and AG Shineonnow on twitter and tweeted
http://twitter.com/jjudy04/status/19790472403
jjudy05@hotmail.com
fan of you and AG shineonnow on facebook and left a comment
http://twitter.com/jjudy04/status/19790472403
jjudy05@hotmail.com
http://twitter.com/tannawings/status/19801411375
a tweetin
Retweet – http://twitter.com/Sexyknickers68/status/19809322414
Thursday morning tweet
http://twitter.com/jcamp2020/statuses/19828232894
jcamp2020 at aol dot com
Thursday morning tweet
http://twitter.com/jcamp2020/statuses/19828232894
jcamp2020 at aol dot com
I want to nominate my daughter. She is three, and almost four, and just getting into playing with the ‘big girl’ dolls like American Girl! I used to love to play with my American Girl dolls as a child, and I’m looking forward to playing with them together! She is beautiful inside and out
Thanks for the great giveaway! Amanda
amanda31gifts (at) gmail (dot) com
A daily tweet tweet
http://twitter.com/pkbailey01/status/19864856815
Daily tweet:
http://twitter.com/girlygirlugh/status/19875926132
girlygirlugh at gmail dot com
Retweet – http://twitter.com/Sexyknickers68/status/19886595117
http://twitter.com/tannawings/status/19886979715
a tweety
I would like to noiminate a special little girl who is so selfless and kind she puts others to shame. She always sticks up for those weaker than her, volunteers, studies hard and always wants to do the right thing even though it might be tough for her. She is truly a warrior and hero.
I would like to nominate my daughter who is 10. She is active in our church and Bible club. She’s always the first to befriend any visitors and rarely meets a stranger. This summer she’s befriended a relative of the neighbor’s who is visiting for the summer. It doesn’t bother her that he mainly speaks Spanish and she speaks very little. They’ve still became fast friends.
She’s also a help around the house and a big help with her little brother. She’s really big on making sure we compost everything possible. She’s also appointed herself in charge of recycling in our house. She’s a really good kid.
http://twitter.com/sohamolina/status/19939369196
my niece’s smile lights up any room
Here is my daily tweet
https://twitter.com/pkbailey01/status/19951913679
I would like to nominate my 6 year old daughter, R. R is a sweet little girl who has a tender heart. She can’t stand to see someone hurting or suffering, especially me. I had an accident 3 years ago which resulted in a nerve disorder that has made me unable to walk and keeps me in pain 24/7/365. R is always beside me to help in any way she can. She holds doors for me so I can maneuver in my wheelchair. She picks up things I have dropped, gets the mail for me, brings me snacks, takes care of the dog, and the list goes on and on and on. She comforted me when I had to retire on disability from teaching after 14 years. She told me: “Even if you can’t go to your big school and teach the kids there, you can always teach me at home. See, you are still a teacher, my teacher.” What words of wisdom! I am continually amazed at how blessed I am to have this beautiful young lady as my daughter!She is definitely deserving of an American Girl Doll!
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
I follow @agshineonnow and @BridgetteLA on Twitter and I Tweeted
@NancyeDavis
http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/19955812016
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
I am a fan of the Not So Blog and Shine on Now on Facebook and I let them know I saw the giveaway on Experimental Mommy!
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
I would like to nominate my daughter. She is always eager to donate to and help with fundraisers. She donates her clothes, toys, canned goods, and anything she can. She buys toys to donate for toys for tots, and donates coats in the wintertime. She also promotes unicef at halloween.
angiewattie@yahoo.com
My neighbor’s daughter is so helpful. She helps her mom with the housework and take care of her siblings, while maintaining good grades at school. She helps out at her church also with the kids program.
My friend’s daughter has spinal bifidis, but has remained strong and optimistic. She will be undergoing a kidney transplant soon, this doll with be a great companion for her. She has no sisters, and with her illness, it has been hard for her to maintain friendships.
my niece is a really commendable girl. She is always being helpful and kind to everyone she meets. She never lets any kid feel left out. She gets along with everyone, and therefore has a lot of friends. She is always there for her friends, and helps them any way she can.
My daughter is so sweet and kind. She wants to do charity as well as environmental work. She is still too young, but she does the little that she can. She advocates for recycling and reducing pollution. She informs and encourages others to adopt healthy habits, for our body and for our world.
I nominate my daughter. She does well in school and helps out at home. She is a joy to have around, and I am blessed to have her.
I’d like to nominate a young lady who I know who works very hard to be sure that everyone recycles. She truly cares about our earth and is all about going green.
Daily tweet:
http://twitter.com/girlygirlugh/status/19959891881
girlygirlugh at gmail dot com
I would like to nominate K.A. because she cheers up everyone with her quick smile and friendliness. She loves acting and singing and shares her talents with others.
I nominate my best friends daughter. She is a very very kind kid,a very smart one too, will do anything to help you, and had the best manners that I have ever seen, and she knows how to make you smile if your feeling down, and she lives barelt getting by day to day as her mom is a single mom barely making the bills, but she is as happy with what she has, not doesn’t have.
Fan of Shine on Now & Experimental Mommy on FB.
Kelly C. left message.,
My granddaughter helps me cook and take meals to some of the elder residents in my neighborhood.
http://twitter.com/tannawings/status/19969179647
last tweety for me- good luck all AMG rocks!
I nominate I girl from my life that is always helping others and treating them with a kind word and soft hand
My very important daily tweet
http://twitter.com/pkbailey01/status/19986627383
I would like to nominate my niece. She is a generous kid with her time and possessions–she regularly donates clothes and toys to the Children’s Hospital and the Salvation Army. She volunteers at her local library and in her school.
tweet.http://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/20019317078
I would like to nominate my niece.. Her parents are troubled… and it is hard oon her. This would be a nice gift.
I nominate my daughter, Cady. She deserves this as a late birthday gift because she has to put up with the meanest mother in the world on a daily basis. I make her keep her room clean, eat veggies, and brush her teeth. A child that has to go through that torture regularly desrves to win!
Daily tweet:
http://twitter.com/girlygirlugh/status/20036442306
girlygirlugh at gmail dot com
I would love to nominate my niece , She is an amazing little girl. She is unfortunately in foster care right now and still tries to stay positive very tough thing to do in her situation, but she recently volunteered at summer school to help with putting away the books in the library from the summer reading program. She loves to read. She does not have any dolls or many toys, so I believe this would be a comfort to her, since she has no family near right now. I am 3,000 miles away from her but talk to her almost every night on the phone.
I am a fan of yours on facebook
Jenny Sapp Hernandez
My daughter.. she helps me volunteer.
I’d like to nominate my niece who excels at both education and sports. She’s a kind, helpful young lady and is only six!