SYRACUSE - Bottles of brightly-colored nail polish, nail files, foundation and blush were spread across a table at Miller's Merry Manor in Syracuse Thursday night.
Women ranging in ages 16 to 95 sat around the table talking to one another and sharing laughs.
Wawasee High School's chapter of GlamourGals were spending their monthly visit with the retirement home's female residents.GlamourGals meets two Thursdays per month and provides residents with facials and makeup. Makeup and lotions are donated by Mary Kay, Estee Lauder and Maybelline.
The female students handed out Valentines and stickers, and gave the residents facials and painted their nails.
GlamourGals is a national organization whose mission is to foster intergenerational relationships between teenage girls and elderly women living in senior homes through monthly facials and makeovers, according to Julia Porter, director of expansion for Glamour Gals.
Porter started the chapter in Syracuse a year ago. The chapter began with two members and now have a regular showing of 10 to 15 girls.
"The organization builds the student's self-esteem and brightens the lives of the residents," Porter said.
After receiving a degree in Indianapolis, Porter moved to Brooklyn, where it was her goal to teach there.
GlamourGals was introduced to her through a student when she was teaching at an all-girls, low-income school in downtown Brooklyn.
She became involved with GlamourGals in 2007 when she lived in New York.
Porter, who currently teaches English composition at Ivy Tech Community College, Warsaw, relocated to Indiana after five years of living in New York.
GlamourGals was founded by a 17-year-old New York female, Rachel Doyle, in 2000 in Commack, N.Y.
Doyle was a 17-year-old who was looking to honor her grandmother and now serves as president of GlamourGals.
Aiyana Tolsma, a Wawasee High School sophomore and GlamourGals WHS chapter president, said she has enjoyed being a part of the organization.
"It's rewarding to put a smile on the women's faces by either painting their nails, putting lotion on their hands, or doing their makeup," Tolsma said.
Izzy Caldwell, a Wawasee High School senior and GlamourGal member, said the experience also is rewarding.
"I like to hear the stories they tell and spend time with the ladies," Caldwell said.
Leslie Rigsby, Syracuse Miller's Merry Manor activities director, said the residents look forward to the girls' visits.
"The residents enjoy interacting with the younger generation girls and the girls help the residents realize how beautiful they are," Rigsby said.
Delores Vanator, 79, a Miller's Merry Manor resident, said she loves to get her nails done.
"I used to do my own nails, but love to have the girls do them," Vanator said.
Lois Johnson, 71, a Miller's Merry Manor resident, said the girls doing her makeup and nails brings back memories of when she and her cousins did each other's makeup.
"The GlamourGals do a wonderful job," Johnson said.
Florence Shenefield, 95, said she looks forward to the student's visits.
"I'm not hard to please. They give you the once over with doing your nails and makeup," Shenefield said.
For more information about GlamourGals, visit www.glamourgals.org
