blog

Lenten Campaign + Friendship Bracelets

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:24:00 -0800

Last year, we had a tremendous amount of participation in our 4,000 Raindrops Campaign to raise $4,000 in 40 days during Lent to help the orphanage build a well. This year, our campaign is going to be even more engaging, fun and colorful! Let us introduce our "Friendship Bracelet Campaign" which will launch during Lent. During this campaign, people can purchase friendship bracelet kits from us and then make and sell friendship bracelets and donate the money back to the orphanage! There will be various designs for different age groups and also a spiritual component to incorporate our Orthodox faith into this project. We welcome anyone who wants to get involved! Churches, youth groups, young adults, book clubs, bloggers and just about anyone who wants to give back! If you'd like to join our planning committee to help us lead this effort, please email christiana@theluckygirlsmovie.com

Photo taken from here.

Metropolitan Nikitas

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 11:01:00 -0800

On Sunday, our team members, Christiana Thanos and Stefanos Roulakis, joined His Eminence, Metropolitan Nikitas for brunch to discuss the future of the orphanage and Lucky Girls. Metropolitan Nikitas once oversaw all missions and churches in Southeast Asia, including the orphanage. The girls at the orphanage miss him dearly, and they fondly remember him teaching them the hokey pokey! His Eminence now directs the Patriarch Athenagora Orthodox Institute in Berkeley, California. Our director, Christiana Thanos originally learned about the work in India through Metropolitan Nikitas when he came to speak at St. Sophia Cathedral in 2004. Since then, they have been sharing ideas and efforts on how to best help the orphanage. In our meeting, His Eminence expressed his interest in continuing to support Lucky Girls' endeavors to help the orphanage. We are so grateful for his support!

Enter our Raffle

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:22:00 -0700

Thanks to a generous donor, you can donate $10 to the orphanage and enter to win a trip to Florida for New Years!

Win a one week stay in a luxury villa at the Weston Vacation Village in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida + $400 spending cash! The villa accomodates four, and the available dates are December 30 2011-January 6, 2012.

All donations of $10 or more to the Theotokos Girl's Orphanage from now until Thanksgiving will go towards the raffle. You will receive an email after you donate to ensure that you are entered into the raffle.

Please donate here: www.theluckygirlsmovie.com For questions, email christiana@theluckygirlsmovie.com

United Nations Association Film Festival

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:06:00 -0700

It looks like the folks at the United Nations Assocation like the work being done at the Theotokos Girl's Orphanage and will be screening Lucky Girls at their Los Angeles film festival! We are so excited to be a part of such an important screening and film line-up! We hope you can join us!

When: Monday, October 24 2011, 6:30-11:30 PM. VIP pre-reception 5:00 PM

Where: Laemmle Pasadena, 673 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101

Price: Individual tickets-$25. Students-$10. VIP reception + ticket-$50. Purchase tickets: www.unapasadena.org

For additional information, contact us: christiana@theluckygirlsmovie.com

Getting Married & Giving Back

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:42:00 -0700

Last month, a lovely young couple named Nick and Roula were married in Chicago. While most couples give away a small gift or wedding favor to their wedding guests, Nick and Roula decided to give back to the Theotokos Orphanage and one other charity. For each guest, they donated $3!

We got creative and made classy little note cards to place on each place setting to inform guests that a donation was made to the orphanage in their honor. We also provided a tiny paragraph about Lucky Girls and the orphanage.

We thank Nick and Roula for their generous donation to the orphanage. We wish them a long life together filled with love and happiness! Thank you for remembering our girls on such an important day in your lives!

Chrysanthi's Blog

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 11:23:00 -0700

We are happy to be featured on Chrysanthi Diamantakou's fashion blog! Chrysanthi writes about our Sophia Forero necklaces to benefit the orphanage.

Chrysanthi is a blogger and contributing writer for anything in fashion, beauty, entertainment, arts and especially Greek related. Check it out! http://chrysanthid.blogspot.com/

Thanks, Chrysanthi!

Nailpolish

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:12:00 -0700

We are excited to announce the new 'Lucky Girls' signature nailpolish color by Lex Cosmetics! With each bottle purchased, $3 will be donated to the Theotokos Orphanage! This can help support one girl for a day! Lucky Girls is featured on the landing page of their website as shown below! To purchase nailpolish, please visit http://lexcosmetics.com/

Thanks to volunteer, April Pierce for the featured photo!

One Girl Can Change The World

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 11:09:00 -0700

We just heard about this amazing song by Shuree called One Girl (Can Change the World) and we love it! Thanks, Shuree, for making such a meaningful song to inspire us and keep our focus on what is important!

First Online Auction

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:14:00 -0700

We've been brewing the idea of starting an online auction page to allow people to donate items to benefit the orphanage. Thanks to a sweet lady in San Jose and our very favorite volunteer, Maria Koo, we were given these magnificent freshwater pearl earrings to auction off and try out our idea!

Info: Large freshwater pearls with a slight rose hue. Cubic zirconia exterior. Value: $100

Glam it up with your favorite summer dress or be casual with jeans and a tee-shirt!

Minimum bid starts at $50. To make a bid, email christiana@theluckygirlsmovie.com or make it directly on our Lucky Girls Facebook Page!

Let the bidding begin!

Thank You, from Sister Nectaria

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:59:00 -0700

Dear 4,000 Raindrops Donors & Friends,

I am happy to tell you that, thanks to the generosity of our supporters through your campaign, the well at the Theotokos Girls' Orphanage is completed and a big problem has been solved! We feel relieved and grateful to all our donors. May God bless you all! It took a little time as does everything in India-even the digging of an 850 ft well is hand-made!

I am running around these days to colleges for the admission of our 5 girls who have succeffuly passed their class XII Board examinations! Attached is a photo of the well being built. I will send a photo of the completed well soon.

Thank you all for your support!

~Sr. Nectaria~

Cast Your Vote!

Wed, 25 May 2011 17:14:00 -0700

Cast your vote on Lucky Girls Facebook Account or @luckygirlsmovie on Twitter or by emailing christiana@theluckygirlsmovie.com

A Special Invitation to the Gabby Awards

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:45:00 -0700

As a part of The Greek America Foundation's "Community Partner's" program, the Lucky Girl's team has been invited to attend The Gabby Awards as guests of the foundation! In support of the work we do on behalf of the Theotokos Girl's Orphanage, the Greek America Foundation has selected Lucky Girls as one of ten non-profits and individuals involved in social/philanthropic entrepreneurism and activism that benefits our community and serves as an example to others.

The Gabby Awards—inspired by the idea of “Greek America’s Best and Brightest Stars”—are the top achievement awards for Greek Americans. The awards recognize the best and brightest individuals who have excelled in their respective fields and strive for excellence in all they do.

Some of this year's nominees include Arianna Huffington, Zach Galifianakis, Tina Fey, Dr. Peter Diamandis from the X Prize Foundation, John Varvatos, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation and Nick Markakis from the Baltimore Orioles, amongst others. For those who are interested in attending, we encourage you to check out their website.

We hope that by attending this event, we can gain more support and visibility for our girls at the Theotokos Girl's Orphanage! If you will be attending the Gabby Awards, we would love to meet you! Please email Christiana Thanos at christiana@theluckygirlsmovie.com to connect!

We thank the Greek America Foundation for making this opportunity possible!

What $4,000 Can Buy

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:04:00 -0700

As our campaign is at the highest peak of activity during Holy Week, we did a little research on what people are spending $4,000 on these days.

1) Gucci Handbag $3,600

2) Business class ticket from Los Angeles to Delhi in December $4,009

3) Super Bowl Tickets for 2 $4,000

4) Bottle of 1921 Cha^teau d'Yquem Wine $4,715

Where do you want to help us spend $4,000? This is what we choose:

Join us by donating $5, $10, $20 or more and impacting over 100 lives! Your name will permanently be placed on our "virtual well" for your support.

Will you join us? http://www.theluckygirlsmovie.com/brick/

The Bridge to the Future

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:29:00 -0700

Last week, the Philanthropic Society of the Orthodox Church, the overarching non-profit that supports the orphanage, held it's opening ceremony for The St. Iganatius English-medium school. This school is built on the grounds of the Theotokos Girl's Orphanage and is open to the surrounding children in the village of Bakeswar. As English-medium schools are mainly set in urban cities and a luxury of the upper-class, this school will allow our girls to receive the best education possible while further integrating the girls into their community. The school will also open a new income stream for the orphanage as it will receive tuition from children outside the orphanage. Not only is the orphanage now supporting 100 girls and the newly opened boy's orphanage, but it is also granting greater opportunities to the children and families of the village of Bakeswar!

Our newly admitted girls of the Theotokos Girls Orphanage perform dances to celebrate the Grand Opening of the School!

College-Bound

Sun, 10 Apr 2011 15:53:00 -0700

We just received news that 4 more of our girls have been accepted to college! We believe that education is one of the most vital steps towards alleviating poverty. Education allows our girls to have greater opportunities not only within their careers but also the confidence to make decisions for their own well-being rather than have others dictate their destinities. The rate of female college graduates in the village of Bakeswar is extremely minimal, and we are so proud that our girls are paving the way for other females in their village and country! We congratulate Sister Nectaria for instilling the importance of education, and we congratulate our girls!

Prayers for Debbie

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:20:00 -0700

Dear Friends,

We are so grateful to have cultivated a community of loyal supporters to the orphanage. Today we have a different type of request.

As you may remember, Debbie from our film, has had medical problems since she was very young. We have received news that she has not been feeling well lately, and we ask that you all pray for her health. We do not know many details, but since her health problems are permanent, we ask that she remains in your prayers.

We thank you for your ongoing support!

-The Lucky Girls Team

Dal & Lucky Girls-An Oregon Screening

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:56:00 -0700

Entry written by Rebeca Groomer, the first person to host a Lucky Girls Screening for our 4,000 Raindrops Campaign. Rebeca and her family live in Eugene, Oregon and have been Orthodox for 3 years. They attend St. George's Greek Orthodox Church. We thank the wonderful Groomer family for their hard-work and beautiful blog entry!

I tossed some cumin seeds into the hot oil and waited until they began to pop before adding a pile of onions, garlic, and ginger. A spoonful of turmeric turned the fragrant mixture a deep golden color as the spicy aroma wafted through the house. Soon small orange lentils would soften into a lovely yellow as the dal simmered in my biggest pot.

"I don't understand why they're called Lucky!" came the bewildered comment from my eight-year old son. We were preparing to screen the Lucky Girls Movie during our parish coffee hour the next day. Why, he wondered, would these girls, these motherless and forsaken orphans, be considered lucky?

My mind wandered back ten years ago, to the months I spent in India, to little street girls, running about, barefoot, unkempt, begging for their next meal. Sadly, many of them are "owned" by well organized rings who take their "earnings" in exchange for meager fare and a little shelter. I remember a lovely Indian woman with whom I stood one hot afternoon in Dehli. She held in her arms a beautiful baby girl, obviously loved. As we stood talking, a turbaned man interrupted us. They exchanged a few words; in short, he offered to buy her baby. She refused. What would have become of that baby? What becomes of so many unwanted girls in India?

The plight of the girl child in India can be devastating. Girls will grow up, and, in order to marry, will need a dowry, something many impoverished families simply cannot afford. And so the girl becomes a burden to her family. In many circumstances, she is aborted, and never even given a chance at life. Many more young girls grow up in brothels, or in other forms of slavery, with no hope of an education, of freedom, of marriage, or of any independence.

My son, in his warm and safe home, surrounded by loving family, cannot fathom these things. But these girls, these Lucky ones, know what their fate could be. Having lost mothers, fathers, left alone or perhaps having become a burden to a relative, they've found a place where they're loved and cared for. They have found a home. In Sister Nectaria they have one who loves them like a mother. They're given the gift of an education, which will open up many opportunities for them. They are given safety and security, a hope and a future.

Sunday morning came. I dressed in my shalwar kameez, long pushed to the back of my closet. I wanted to share with my church family a little of my love for India, for her people, and specifically for her girls. Together with some friends we provided a simple meal of rice, dal, cabbage, and fruit. Our usually loud fellowship room became quiet as we listened to the stories of these young women. Afterwards many people thanked us for sharing The Lucky Girls with them, for allowing them to see this place, to hear these voices from the other side of the world.

I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to introduce others to this wonderful ministry in India. There are so many needs in this world, but this is certainly a worthy place to direct out attention, our prayers, and if we're able, our resources. The 4000 Raindrops campaign going on right now is raising money that will be used to dig a well for the girls' home. A reliable supply of clean water is something most of us take for granted, but that's not the case in India. Will you pray for the Lucky Girls, and consider how you can be a part of this project too?

'Lucky Girls' Goes to Hollywood

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:09:00 -0700

We are so happy that 4,000 Raindrops was featured in Hollywood Weekly Magazine! Please check out article (pages 10-11), "Lucky Girls with Happy Hearts," by Pamela Spyrs.

About Pamela Spyrs (a true Lucky Girls angel): Right before our 4,000 Raindrops Campaign, a wonderful woman named Pamela Spyrs, with Inspyrs PR reached out to us to offer her pro-bono public relations skills to help us get 4,000 Raindrops off the ground. Pam has helped us partner with radio stations, Los Angeles events and amazing media outlets. She is extremely dedicated to helping our girls, and one day, she hopes to meet Sister Nectaria and everyone at the orphanage. Thank you, Pam for your dedication to the orphanage!

One Hundred Sisters

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:38:00 -0700

Written by Maria Koo, one of our favorite volunteers & also the daughter of Father Gregory Koo at St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church in San Jose. Maria is a senior at Berkeley and applying for medical school. She is already on the path of changing lives! We are so proud of you, Maria!

I don’t have any sisters. My little brother and I would spend most of our childhood wrestling and play-fighting-that-would-usually-turn-to-real-fighting. I ruined every dress and every pair of church shoes I had because I would slide down to the muddy creek near my house and come back eaten by bugs and covered in dirt. My best friends were boys and my only girl friend was just as big of a pant-wearing, play-fighting non-girlie-girl like me. Growing up, I was too much of a tomboy, and still am in a lot of ways.

When you go from that to suddenly have 90 sisters, it takes a second to wrap your brain around it all. My first time getting dressed for a big occasion with them, I was in the middle of a flurry of kurtis and scarves and jewelry and makeup as the older girls scrambled around the room getting themselves ready and helping each other look their absolute best. I remember sitting there a little bit dazed at all the commotion as Dipa scolded me to keep my eyes closed because the eyeliner she put on me wasn’t dry and I felt my ears being poked as they tried one pair of earrings then another and then another. Priyanka sort of clucked her tongue at me because I was wearing my clunky black flip-flops and I refused to change my shoes because they were comfortable even though it didn’t match.

It was like living with an army of princesses. They are so beautiful and talented and intelligent. More than lucky, they are blessed. They have hope. They have accomplishments lined up ahead of them and the potential that radiates from them is infectious. They have so much love to share; it hits you in the face at full force from the moment you walk through the orphanage gates, and you are swept up in it, engulfed and locked tight into a this huge new family. Their smiles are constant, instantaneous and achingly genuine.

I can’t write down every story in my head about them, but it isn’t fitting to not mention each one of them. So I will end by writing down their names. I think it’s really important to know their names, because they’re not just some girls in an orphanage somewhere that people don’t really visit or know about, but they’re my sisters, and hopefully someday your sisters as well. I hope when you see their names, you can also see their faces, their smiles and their brilliant futures.

Shrabunti

Rupali

Arati

Rupa

Dipa

Nibedita

Sapna

Saloni

Pinky

Mousumi

Kakuli

Koel

Tanisha

Sudipa

Nisha

Mampi

Monisha

Payel

Dipika

Payel

Ganga

Laxmi

Mina

Tina

Nona

Priyanka

Riya

Rinky

Madhumita

Dipa

Sima

Aparna

Sukla

Puja

Rupali

Madhumita

Sonalika

Megha

Aparna

Disha

Sukla

Monju

Mini

Debi

Mamoni

Lalia

Rimi

Jayanti

Sukla

Priyanka

Suparna

Sharmila

Susmita

Riya

Irene

Sujata

Anindita

Priyanka

Rani

Pinky

Anuradha

Togorika

Suparna

Bishaka

Parboti

Shika

Priyanka

Amrita

Ruma

Astomi

Simi

Mousumi

Pinky

Joyita

Shibani

Rita

Moumita

Suman Sudha

Ruby

Purabi

Basanti

Jhuma

Shikha

Parbati

Suparna

Anjoli

Rukayia

Lydia

Passionate Paws

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:39:00 -0700

When you think of a dog on the coast of Southern California, you'd probably never guess that it can impact the lives of our girls. Our friends over at the The Pet Keeper are taking dog walking and petsitting services to another level. The Pet Keeper in the South Bay will be donating a percentage of their sales to our 4,000 Raindrops campaign during the month of March!

Candice Carbone, an animal enthusiast and founder of the Pet Keeper not only believes in giving animals the love they need, but she also believes in giving back to communities, especially girls. As a female business-owner, she believes in helping other girls receive ample opportunities to succeed. As you may know, over at the Lucky Girls, we love a good collaboration, and we are happy that Candice will be the first business to benefit our 4,000 Raindrops Campaign and Orphanage!

So, if any of you live in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes or El Segundo, reach out to the Pet Keeper and spread the word of their services!

Email: candice@thepetkeeper.com or Visit The Pet Keeper's Website

Thank you, Candice & the Pet Keeper! We give you two paws up for your endeavors!