Birthday gala will be wish come true

Make-A-Wish of Kansas is helping Mayra celebrate her 15th birthday by giving her the quinceanera she missed nine months ago.

Instead of being excited for her 15th birthday party last February, Mayra was in a hospital bed after being diagnosed with aplastic anemia. In the Latino culture, a quinceanera is a coming-of-age birthday party for a 15-year-old. But just as her party was about to enter its final planning stages, Mayra’s parents were forced to cancel the party and lose all deposits they had paid.

Nine months later, Mayra, whose last name was not released because of Make-A-Wish Foundation’s policies, will be celebrating her quinceanera Nov. 21.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a nonprofit organization that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. A wish is granted and fully paid for by the Make-A-Wish Foundation and its sponsors.

United HealthCare joined forces with Make-A-Wish and has created a $4.5 million alliance — one of the largest in the nonprofit organization’s 27-year history.

“Under that sponsorship they have chosen to grant a wish per state,” said Pat Greenway, CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Kansas.

The nation’s 66 chapters are eligible to receive wish-granting funds through the new program. Each wish costs an average of $6,000 to grant.

When offered the opportunity for a wish, Mayra immediately wanted a quinceanera. Harrington Health, a local United HealthCare provider, is taking care of Mayra’s wish. This is the first quinceanera that has been granted through Make-A- Wish in Kansas.

“I have three kids myself and to see a child that has come through a difficult time is a special moment,” said Bob Langhofer, vice president for employee benefit sales at Harrington Health.

On Thursday afternoon, members of the Harrington Health staff and Make-A-Wish Foundation came together for the first time to celebrate Mayra’s wish with a small reception.

Mayra, and her mother, Carolina, were in attendance, along with one of the three volunteer wish granters from Make-A-Wish.

“I will be attending her quinceanera,” said Colleen Mills, a wish granter. “I have learned a lot since I started this. A quinceanera is about as involved as a wedding.”

Carolina said she never believed her daughter would have a chance to celebrate this important cultural tradition because of her illness.

“We had been planning it for a year, but everything was canceled when she needed medical treatment,” Carolina said. “The party had to be put on hold. We lost all deposits.”

The dress, an important part of the celebration, had already been purchased before Mayra had to cancel her party.

“I bought the dress for her even though I didn’t think she would ever get to have a quinceanera,” Carolina said. “I wanted a picture of her in her dress, and now we get to have it.”

Mayra’s quinceanera will consist of a church ceremony, dance, guests, gifts and wisdom from her mother. Mayra will be accompanied by seven boys and seven girls as her court.

The court will perform dances for the crowd, including a waltz, which Mayra quickly scurried out of the reception on Thursday to practice for.

“I have choreography practice for my waltz that I can’t miss,” Mayra said.

Mills said she looks forward to seeing the work in this project pay off when Mayra celebrates on Nov. 21.

“This is wish 15 for me,” she said. “We started this one in June and we are making it happen next weekend.”

Mayra and Carolina were also presented with a gift certificate for manicures, pedicures and massages at Healing Waters Spa before the big day.

“I never thought there were people in this world as nice as the ones I have met here,” Carolina said.

Langhofer said making this wish come true for Mayra has been meaningful to him.

“Day in and day out, we deal with the claim side of things,” Langhofer said. “But behind every claim there is a person and with this particular one we are able to make a difference.”

Mojardin owns Betos Beauty Salon in Aurora. Three years ago he decided to turn all those tears from mothers in his salon chair who didn’t know how they could afford their daughters’ quinceañeras into a dream come true.

By saving his tips, he threw – for free – his first quinceañera for 13 girls in the Denver area who had good grades and were willing to raise funds to earn money for their quinceañera.

In a grassroots effort, he rallied the Hispanic community and business owners for donations to put on the lavish event. The right of passage for young Hispanic girls can often be bigger and more expensive than a wedding and in this case, the price tag is around $50,000.

Because of the economy, more girls this year applied and donations were harder to come by, Mojardin said. Still, the quinceañera must go on.

The girls look forward to the party and all the preparation that goes into it – learning to waltz with their partner, getting their hair and makeup done by Mojardin and his staff and, of course, wearing a dress that could be plucked straight out of a Disney movie. The mothers know this once-in-a-lifetime quinceañera is so much more than their 15-year-old daughters’ minds can fully appreciate until later in life.

“It’s the best dream she’s going to have,” said Evelia Medena, whose niece Mary Gonzalez is participating.

On Sunday, the girls will go to Mass at the Cathedral Immaculate Conception in Denver. They will then get ready, a process that will begin the day before, and take photos at Cheesman Park Pavilion in the afternoon.

The girls again will perform that night at their sold-out quinceañera, which will be attended by about 2,000 people at EXDO EventCenter at Tracks Night Club in Denver.

It’s so much more than just an extravagant affair though, said Mojardin, who wants to take his quinceañera nationwide.

“It’s very important because it unites (the Hispanic community),” he said, as evidenced by all the family members who huddled together at Cheeseman Park this weekend watching their daughters practice the choreographed dances.

Mothers get together and sell burritos at churches to raise money, daughters put on a car wash and younger brothers are never far from all the preparation, which began in June.

It’s a learning experience, Mojardin said. Since he’s providing a quinceañera the girls could only previously dream about, he’s gotten their attention and he doesn’t let the opportunity slip by.

“What these girls need to learn from their quinceañera is we need to stick together, we need to do well in school … they need to be strong to make their dream come true,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Marlene Palomar, 15, walks shyly out of the dressing room in a yellow ball gown fit for a princess. She’s greeted by an entourage of immediate and extended family, talking in unison in Spanish about how beautiful she looks.

“What these girls need to learn from their quinceañera is we need to stick together, we need to do well in school … they need to be strong to make their dream come true,” he said.

Quinceanera Uses Virtual Model to Pick Hairstyle

Hairstyles for Dama or Quinceanera

Posted by Super Quince on 01-03-2009

Check out this hairstyles good for dama or quinceanera. A stellar hairstyle is sure to draw eyes and attention toward you. The key to a standout hairstyle is to choose something different than your everyday hair. If you usually wear your hair up in a messy bun or ponytail, try wearing it down in a sleek, straight style or with curly waves. If you normally wear your hair down, now is your chance to try a fabulous up-do that will leave everyone staring at your beautiful neck and collarbone. You can find detailed instructions below for four glamorous styles para ese dia de quince.

Looped Ponytail

This easy, glamorous style can have you ready and out the door in less than 30 minutes. First, pull your hair up into a high ponytail. If you have curly or wavy hair, straighten it with a flat iron first. Tame any stray hairs or frizz by spraying the top of your hair with a spray gel and gently combing it down flat. Once your hair is sleek and smooth, divide the ponytail into three sections. Roll each section under and pin each with a couple of bobby pins or hair clips in a different direction. Be creative with the directions; there are no rules on how this style should look. To finish your look, add a flower, decorative hair clip, or tiara.

French Twist

The French twist is a classic, easy style with fabulous flare. For a quick style, you can make the twist sleek and simple. To add uniqueness to the twist, you can finish the ends with loose curls. To form a twist, first flatten your hair with gel for a sleek look. You can part your hair on one side (great for masking a prominent widow’s peak) or comb it all back. Take your hair at the nape of your neck and begin twisting. Once it is completely twisted, pull the twist up and attach it with clips. Spritz the entire twist with hair spray to keep it in place and tame any stray hairs. Finish the style by tucking the ends of the twist under or curling them with a small curling iron. For extra style, try tying a ribbon the same color as your dress around your head in front of the twist.

Soft Curls (For Short Hair)

A soft, curly style is a great way to wear your hair down if you have naturally straight tresses. First, set your hair in hot rollers to form the curls. While you’re waiting for the rollers to heat, do your make-up to maximize your getting-ready time. Once the rollers have cooled, unroll your hair and brush it out. Flatten the front and hold it in place with some long bobby pins or hairclips. Tease the ends and the back up with a teasing comb and some hairspray. Don’t worry about every strand of hair being perfect; the slightly disheveled look is sexy and stylish. Once you’ve finished teasing the ends, remove the clips at the front and finish the style with a flower or some rhinestone clips placed randomly throughout your hair.

Tousled Curls (For Long Hair)

If you have naturally curly hair, now is the time to take full advantage of it. A long, curly style is perfect for prom-night royalty and guaranteed to please you and your date. First, shampoo your hair and add a curl-enhancing conditioner or cream. While your hair is air drying, scrunch it a little to encourage curls. If you don’t have the time to let your hair dry naturally, use a blow dryer with a diffuser. Once your hair is dry, take small strands and curl them with a curling iron to control your curls and give them a styled look. Tousle the ringlets a little with your finger to break them into loose curls. Then, pull your hair back with a ribbon to match your dress and leave a few strands loose in the back. If you’d like a fuller look, cheat a little by adding a curly hairpiece underneath the gathered curls. A flower or rhinestone-studded clip is a great finishing touch to this style.

Why Pay More Than $29.95 for Quinceanera Jewelry

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