 |
Last year, the PTA Charity Committee held the first 'Pretty Things' collection for the Charles Foundation. Families brought in small, dainty and even tacky bits of plastic jewlery...the very things that young people treasure. Again this April, the PTA will be collecting 'pretty things' for the foundation. The community is invited to contribute fanciful headbands, hair ties, costume jewelry or other small treasures for this special collection for girls who have little access to such treats.
The Charles Foundation (www.charlesfoundation.org) is one of the charities WAB has supported for the past five years. Jo Charles works in the Liangshan area of China where girls
traditionally enjoy a very low status in society. Jo and her colleagues
build schools in remote areas and offer all girls an education. She
also offers accommodation and care to orphans and those whose homes are
too remote for the children to attend day school.
PTA Charity Committee Liz Durkin summarizes the value of these inexpensive baubles to a group of girls who have little to treasure in their current lives: "One day, while Jo Charles was distributing some clothes received from a WAB PTA Clothing Drive, she was delighted to watch as one girl found a pink plastic necklace in a pocket of a coat. The girl, who had a grubby face and very short hair (because of lice), put on the necklace and suddenly stood up straight, preened herself...glad that she was female."
Jo would like to give that experience to all her girls and has asked us whether we could collect inexpensive but pretty necklaces, hairgrips and other dainty things for her girls.
They will be grateful for your support.