To kick off the series and give you some background on the charity, I have the one and only Alanna, the founder of the Polished Girlz! How cool is that? She's such an inspiration. Alanna founded the organization when she was only 10 years old! Her mission was and is to bring some sparkle to the lives of children who are terminally ill or are frequently hospitalized. Her teams of girls polish patients at hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, rehabilitation centers, cancer walks, and more around the country and abroad. Now with over 25 chapters, Polished Girlz has made a difference in the lives of 1,000's of children, both patients and volunteers. Not only does Alanna have a heart of gold, she's a talented nail artist beyond her 13 years! (ahem...she was the head nail stylist for the Raul Penaranda show at New York Fashion Week this fall!!) I know Alanna personally and have polished with the girls several times and let me tell you...it's a life changing experience! It's not unusual for a child's first mani to be her last. I'm just so fortunate to have the opportunity to work closely with such an inspired organization. If you'd like to learn more, watch Alanna's feature below which is currently running on the Disney Channel and visit the Polished Girlz website at www.polishedgirlz.org.
Alanna Wall from the Polished Girlz
My name is Alanna Wall and I am the 13 year old founder of the Polished Girlz. When I first started the Polished Girlz organization 3 years ago I told my mom that I wanted Polished Girlz to be able to serve girls all over the world. I never would have imagined that after just 3 years I would have teams Nationwide and in Canada and serve thousands of kids. I am so thankful this holiday season all of these nail artists and bloggers have been willing to help me raise awareness for Polished Girlz.
My nail art is based on the Ugly Sweaters that I am seeing everywhere .
I used Orly nail artist stripers and also Orly lacquers.
This was a really fun nail art project. I love that with nails you can get inspiration from anywhere.
Want to Help!
The Polished Girlz is a registered 501c3 organization that operates entirely from donations with no paid staff. The organization has grown quickly and needs are great. Volunteers are very important, but supplies and funds are in short supply. For the next two weeks, EVERY 12 HOURS, I'll present a post by another amazing blogger. At the end of each post, I'll feature a different item which you can easily donate to the cause. I'll also provide a link to make a cash donation. I hope you'll join me in translating our common love of nail polish into support for a worthy cause which not only benefits hospitalized and special needs children, but also teaches young girls the value of service to others. So check back at 7pm tonight to see one of the biggest nail bloggers on the planet! :)
