Quinceanera Gala Will Be Wish Come True

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."

27 Teens To Receive A Free Quinceañera

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.

The scene is just a preview of Palomar's much-anticipated quinceañera, where an even larger entourage of friends and family will celebrate on Sunday her transformation from girl to lady.

Her quinceañera, and that of 26 others, wouldn't be possible if it weren't for Norberto "Beto" Mojardin and his partner Cesar Delgado.

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.

Interactive Virtual Model to Choose Best Quinceanera Hair Style

Quinceanera Uses Virtual Model to Pick Hairstyle

Even though the Quinceanera is a tradition that dates back over 500 years. Todays’ Latina can use the latest technology when planning for her special day.

Check out this website for the Quinceanera to Use the Virtual Model to Choose Best Hair Style. This is a great place for experimenting with different hairstyles. The site offers a virtual model that you can adjust to match your own measurements, age, and skin tone.

What’s next? Will the traditional Corte of Honor be replaced with virtual dancers?

Technology has changed our lives so much. Before long the close contact we experienced all the time with friends and family is now becoming less and less. It used to be teens talked on the phone too much of the time. Now it’s text messaging. It takes less time and you can text a few people in the same period of time as you would make one phone call to one person.

Life is becoming more and more impersonal. Learning how to communicate face to face will probably become more of a challenge as we continue to get more attached to our cell phones, I pods, and computers.

I recommend mom’s should have some fun also and check out the InStyle.com site and play with the makeover section.

A Mothers Guide to the Quinceanera

Presents

A Mother's Guide to the Quinceanera

By: Aimee Wheeler
Congratulations! Your little hija is growing up, thanks to your love and guidance. The Quinceanera celebration is her arrival, in many ways her transformation into a charming young woman, and the perfect celebration of her coming of age. As your heart swells with pride, the thought of her upcoming event might evoke memories of your own celebration, and how you felt as you were unveiled to your family and friends at the beginning of your maturity.
It's no secret that children today grow up fast. Fortunately, your motherly responsibilities don't end just because your little girl is turning fifteen. There's still a lot to help her with in the planning and preparing for her Quinceanera, including the fiesta details and all the arrangements for the Misa de Accion de Gracias. She still needs your help! As you help her prepare, consider some of the following ideas and suggestions, so that she'll come through her perfect Quince celebration with a minimum of stress.
Remember to plan in advance. There are a lot of details to remember when helping to plan your daughter's Quince celebration, details that will need the careful and practiced touch of a mature woman. Many of these details involve deadlines and entry dates for the various events and preparations. For example, the two of you should contact your local church as early as a year in advance, to make arrangements for the Mass and to see if private services are available. Some parishes only hold monthly masses for all the Quince girls in their congregation. You can avoid disappointment by checking early.
Support your daughter's decisions, and don't dominate them. Your daughter needs your help, and you're probably tempted out of your love and concern to assert too much control over her event. You should counsel your daughter by all means, and put your foot down if you absolutely must, but remember also that this is her special celebration. While you want the best for her, of course, the spirit of the Quinceañera should encourage you to let her reach her own decisions.
Lend your experience and keep a sharp eye out for bargains. Youthful enthusiasm sometimes causes teens to overlook some important details that may return to haunt them later. Keep an eye on the fine print on your daughter's behalf, so that she'll be covered against the little pitfalls that prop up along the way. For example, when touring the celebration's venue, you might inspect the bathrooms and ask to see the kitchen, to check for cleanliness. How a venue keeps its facilities up when no one's looking is a great indicator of how they'll behave during your daughter's event. You might also check the fine print in any contracts from facilities, caterers, or musicians and DJs, to make sure you're both getting a fair deal.
Also, you might browse through catalogs looking for bargains to suggest to your daughter, and help her keep track of the costs of such things as her dress,jewelry, shoes, and hairstyle. You don't have to dominate her decisions, but you can advocate for good deals and for taking advantage of time and money-saving opportunities along the way.
Reach out to your family and your community. Your daughter's Quinceanera is a time for her whole community to congratulate her, and you can help get the word out. Make sure the invitations go out on time, and maintain an RSVP list. Encourage those who might be wavering on whether or not to attend, and thank all attendees on behalf of the family.
You probably realize that just because a girl is grown, her mother is still a powerful ally in her day-to-day life. Helping your own daughter reach out to others is a wonderful, meaningful way to forge that alliance as she grows into beautiful young womanhood.

Subject: "Romeo & Juliet" with a Mexican-American Twist

Austin Shakespeare
"Romeo & Juliet" with a Mexican-American Twist
Austin TX at Zilker Park, Sheffield Hillside Theatre 8:00pm Thursdays- Sundays. May 7th- June 7th
Special Mother's Day matinee May 1 at 2:00pm FREE!

From May 7th to June 7th Austin Shakespeare presents Shakespeare's most popular play "Romeo & Juliet" with a bilingual, bicultural twist. Set in Central Texas in the 1940's, this new take on "Romeo & Juliet" features Shakespeare's own text, intermixed with a good dose of colloquial Tejano Spanish.
In addition to the classic story of two young people who fall in love, but whose feuding families loathe one another, audiences can expect men decked out in three-piece "zoot" suits, topped with fedoras, in zealous knife fights and women in full skirts, swing dancing at Juliet's Quinceanera.

"We wanted to embrace Texas' rich Mexican-American culture and present Romeo & Juliet within this context, in an interesting and fun way," commented Artistic Director of Austin Shakespeare Ann Ciccolella. "We have a cast filled with actors who are dynamic and comical. They make Shakespeare totally accessible and amusing . . . in English and in Spanish!"