My term as Worthy Advisor started in July of 2013. My theme was ‘Dreams’ and my charity was Operation Smile.

Operation Smile provides surgeries to kids born with a Cleft Lip/Palate birth defect, which is a split in the upper lip and roof of the mouth. Unfortunately, some families can’t afford the surgery for their child, and without the surgery, 1 in 3 kids will die before their first birthday or find it difficult to talk, eat, and socialize. This charity was really important to me because I was born with a Cleft Lip and I got my surgery from Operation Smile when I was only a few months old.

To kids who receive their surgery, Operation Smile is a dream come true. So, during my term, I had a lot of different kinds of fundraisers like carwashes, carnivals, face painting, and dinners. I also received donations from people and groups and the Phoebus community merchants even helped by collecting change from their customers. My goal was to raise $1,500, enough to pay for six kids whose families aren’t as fortunate enough to be able to afford the surgery.

After all the hard work with the help of the girls of Hampton Assembly No. 2, the fundraisers (just about every other weekend) and help from my sister who raised $528.97 during her term, I managed to not only meet my goal but exceed it. I invited representatives from Operation Smile to an open meeting on January 19, 2014 and presented them with a $2,750 check. They were very grateful and told me that was enough to pay for over ten (10) surgeries.

Julia
Hampton Assembly #2

Phoebus came together and had a Holiday Illumination that Hampton Assembly went to and helped serve hot chocolate and hot apple cider. Up and down the streets, buildings were lit up and The Pointe restaurant even had fake snow, the Sarah’s Pub had Irish dancers, and at 8:30, everyone stood around the Christmas tree to watch the lighting of it. It was the first annual Phoebus Illumination and I can’t wait to go again next year for even more lights and fun.

On Saturday morning, I woke up really early to go make sandwiches for the homeless. After making those sandwiches, we drove to the homeless shelter to hand them out along with clothes. I remember this really nice man with a hopeful spirit, who was only wearing a short-sleeved jersey. I thought it was very kind when a member of Hampton Assembly, Kensley, went to her car and grabbed her old jacket and ran down the street to give it to the man. On Sunday, Kensley and I went to Hampton University for the P.A.B. 1,000 Youth March Against Bullying. It was neat to see all those people show up. They had kids singing, tumbling, and dancing. And the mom who started ‘Parents Against Bullying’ had a very moving story about why she created the organization and her daughters that were bullied in middle school. They also had a guest speaker who was the aunt of the kid who got killed at the Carnival at the Hampton Coliseum a few months back; She said since he can no longer speak out against bullying, she is his voice.

Julia

Hampton Assembly #2