Missy Franklin, 14, world class swimmer, Regis Jesuit High School freshman,
serves as official spokesman for GIRLS GIVING.

"Last year I was honored to participate in the Grand Opening of Excelsior's pool. I was surprised to see the girls swimming in shorts and T-shirts as they didn't have suits yet. They were starting swim classes but I saw no goggles, caps or kickboards, which are so essential for me. Then I peeked in the cottages and yes, there were beds and dressers but not much of the extras that my friends and I so enjoy, making our rooms cozy and unique. Realizing the troubled life that many of these girls have endured, I felt very sad to see them without many of the items that I take for granted." -Missy

Reaching out to high school girls throughout the metro Denver area, Excelsior's GIRLS GIVING campaign hopes to recruit mini-fundraising activities and clothing drives to support our girls' needs.

"As girls we have the power to add a little brightness to a troubled girl's life. Who understands what a teen girl needs and wants better than another teen? GIRLS GIVING will be so rewarding for us to assist these girls, not just with basics but those fun, 'teen girl' items like makeup, hair straighteners, clothes, accessories, etc, that may make them smile." -Missy

As the largest residential treatment center for troubled teenaged girls in Colorado, Excelsior Youth Center has been changing lives of girls for over 36 years on its Aurora campus. We ask for community financial support to help us provide safe, structured, successful services for girls who need it the most.

GIRLS GIVING is looking for help from other girls: high schools, middle schools, Girl Scouts, Service Clubs, Church groups, Book Clubs, Rotary Interact clubs. The girls will host school drives (clothes, sports items, hygiene products) and/or sponsor mini-fundraising events like car washes, bake sales to generate cash to support these needs.

Most of the girls placed at Excelsior have been victimized and have experienced academic failures. If not living here, they could be in jail, psychiatric hospitals or living on the streets. Instead, Excelsior's structured, safe and successful educational plan provides them tools to transition back to their communities and accomplish their goals. In 2008, more than 350 young women participated and 82% of them successfully completed our program and were returned to their communities as healthier citizens.

Excelsior Youth Center expends $16 million annually to operate its facility and most of its revenue is derived from fees for service reimbursed by departments of social services and probation. These fees are not keeping pace with expenses. Colorado reimburses Excelsior 83-cents for every dollar we spend to treat and educate Colorado girls. We must seek outside sources to ensure Excelsior's high quality education and therapy is continued for these troubled teenage girls.

Stories from GIRLS GIVING include:

• Mara, 17, Wyoming Rotary Youth Leadership Award participant, who solicited 20 alarm clocks from her local Wal-Mart store for girls in need of "wake up calls."
  

• Sharon, from Castle Rock, who worked with her teenaged daughters to host their girlfriends and neighbors and generated bags and bags of new and gently used girl's clothing, shoes and accessories.

• High School Key Club raised money last year from bake sales to purchase pajamas for 100 Excelsior girls.

For more information on Excelsior's GIRLS GIVING campaign, please contact Carena Reber at Excelsior 303-693-1550x331 or Carenar@excelsioryc.org.

GIRLS GIVING