Dream Comes True For Teen
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Make-A-Wish Foundation sets up girl’s Quinceañera
Rome High sophomore Valerie Colon donned the tiara of princess-for-a-day Saturday at her Quinceañera arranged by the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia and Alabama.
“I’ve been planning this since I was 13, but it’s better than I ever thought it could be,” said the petite liver-transplant survivor who now is battling kidney disease.
The Quinceañera is a formal celebration of a Latina girl’s 15th birthday — something like a Sweet 16 party or debutante ball — and marks her passage to womanhood.
In one of several rituals that preceded the festivities, Valerie’s parents, Eddie and Nilsa Colon, presented her with an ornately dressed Quinceañera doll.
“A friend brought the doll,” Eddie Colon said. “It stands as the last toy Valerie received as a little girl.”
The event started with a ceremony at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, followed by a reception at Berry College’s Ford Hall.
Guests included friends from Rome and out of state, Valerie’s Atlanta doctor and about 35 relatives — including her great grandmother — who made the trip from Puerto Rico.
“It’s a very emotional thing,” Nilsa Colon said. “We’re so very thankful for what Make-A-Wish Foundation has done for us.”
Shavette Neal, program services director for the Foundation, said Valerie was referred by her social worker at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
After determining the party would be the teen’s dream come true, “wish volunteers” contacted businesses in the community to see if they were willing to chip in.
“It was wonderful,” Neal said.
“The local businesses here just opened up their hearts and their wallets. Top Hat Formal Wear provided all the dresses for Valerie and her court. Scott Productions sent the disc jockey for free,” said Neal.
Berry, Honeymoon Bakery, Paula’s Silver and Gold, Harvest Moon Café, Automax and Shotz Studio also contributed to the event.
Valerie, who was escorted by her cousin Jose Garcia of Puerto Rico, said she’ll never forget her special day. But her favorite memory is one money can’t buy.
“Dancing with my Dad,” she said, her dark eyes outshining the rhinestones around her neck.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions with the stated goal of “enriching the human experience with hope, strength and joy.”
The Georgia-Alabama chapter has granted more than 3,500 wishes in its 13-year history and is just 50 wishes away from reaching its goal of 400 in 2007.
Neal said help is needed via donations and volunteerism.
For more information about the Foundation, read this story on our Web site to find a link to the Make-A-Wish Foundation Web site or call 888-517-9474.
09/22/07
The Rome News Tribune
By Diane Wagner, Staff Writer
Zoe is kicking it up with a brand new recording “All Out of Love“. Scott Productions slammed the song onto Rome Middle School for their “Back To School Dance”! Zoe was featured in the movie “
Requirements may vary as each county in Georgia can have their own requirements based on the Judge in that area.