Keosha’s bedroom makeover
UPDATE!!! During the weekend of 12/10-12/12/10, Keosha’s bedroom was transformed into the personal and unique space of her dreams. Although we faced serious obstacles with being able to do this makeover as planned, that did not hold us back from delivering on our promise to Keosha. Blissful Bedrooms reached out to past supporters, as well as to friends, family, colleagues and community businesses for help with raising the funds and materials we needed. Our calls were answered with compassion and generosity and we were able to acquire everything we needed to give this young lady a place to be comfortable, happy and peaceful for years and years to come. We can say with 100% certainty that this will be the happiest and most meaningful holiday season of Keosha’s life so far. Not only did we provide her with a bedroom fit for the celebrity soul that she is, but we were also able to present her with an Ipad adapted just her her!!! Because Keosha has no purposeful movement of her arms, she was outfitted with an adapted head pointer and a mounting system that makes it possible for her to access the Ipad while sitting in her wheelchair. For the first time in her entire life, Keosha was able to do something independently the very next day after her makeover weekend – she proudly showed her teachers/paraprofessionals and classmates the glamorous pictures from her photo shoot (see below), flipping through the pictures on her Ipad, using the only voluntary, purposeful movement she possesses in her body – the movement of her head. This demonstration was received with squeals of enthusiasm from her audience and loud “oohs” and “ahhs” with every photograph. We have no doubt that within a few weeks of collaborative training from her teacher and therapists, Keosha will be sending emails and interacting with her friends on Facebook (which include several past Blissful Bedrooms recipients), as well as using educational apps and listening to the music of her choice. There are no words to express how beautiful it is to witness these revolutionary and empowering changes take place in Keosha’s life! To think, it all happened as the result of your donations and a weekend of intense volunteerism by a group of individuals who get a thrill from selfless service and making a difference in the world. Wholehearted gratitude to everyone who contributed to making Keosha feel like a super star!
Please take a moment to view the Before & After pictures from Keosha's bedroom makeover, as well as pictures from her Reveal celebration and the bedroom makeover process.
Alexey Dvoryadkin, the Co-Founder and official photographer of Blissful Bedrooms, had the honor of doing a photo shoot with the beautiful and charismatic Super Star Keosha, not once but twice!! The first photo shoot took place on location in Times Square, a natural and familiar setting for the Broadway and Stage Star. Keosha had her makeup expertly applied at the famous M.A.C. store in Times Square by the talented and compassionate volunteer Adriana Ruiz. She then shined her captivating smile and struck her seductive poses in the cold December air. People stopped and stared in awe as they passed the celebrity, who radiated more light than the colorful and bright signs which fill this Broadway Show region. Her second photo shoot was more private and intimate and explored Keosha's playful side. This session took place in the celebrity's home, where the wonderful and talented M.A.C. makeup artist, Maria DiFrancesco, traveled all the way from Brooklyn to the Bronx, exclusively for the privilege of volunteering her talents to make Keosha's beautiful face even more radiant and sparkling. This was a perfect preamble to Keosha's NYC/Broadway/Glamour Girl bedroom makeover, which took place during the weekend of 12/10-12/12/10. Not only does she have a new dream bedroom to feel happy and content in, but she also sees herself in a brand new light, that of a beautiful, sexy, gorgeous SUPER STAR!!! Of course, we have pictures from her photo shoot displayed all over her new bedroom so she will never forget what a celebrity she is INSIDE AND OUT. You go Keosha with your Glamour Girl self!!
Nelofar Ahmed
Jamara Anthony
Al Benkin
Mike Blaylock
Maria DeFrancesco
Alexey Dvoryadkin
Arturo Garcia
Avalon Garcia
Jesus German
Martha Gold-Dvoryadkin
Dave Goldstein
Farial Islam
Amber Jones
Cory Mahler
Willie Perez
Carla Reyes
Adriana Ruiz
Beth Roberts
Brandon Rigoli
Samantha Rigoli
Adam Seim
Sarah Seim
Hope Spithaler
Billy Stevenson
Alea Teeters
Alan Tlusty
Jorge Verdejo
Bradley Wimer
Beacon School Students
Moona Ahmed
Hannah Dancy
Lucio Sanchez
Tess Wolgemuth
Christiana Harry
Caleb Bloom
Candy Polanco
Lizzy Resnick
Thank you to all of the generous ORGANIZATIONS/BUSINESSES and INDIVIDUALS who have supported Keosha’s bedroom makeover by donating funds, services and/or materials. This makeover could not have been possible without your help!
Organizations/Businesses
Belaire Diner (www.belairediner.net)
Blick Art Materials (New York Store) (Melody/Denny) - www.dickblick.com
Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company, Astoria, NY (www.brooklynbagelandcoffeecompany.com)
Christopher John Electrical, Inc. (www.electriciancje.com)
Courier Car Rental (Dave Bellofato) – www.ccrentalnyc.com
Disney (Disney Consumer Products - Stephen Teglas, VP & Manager, Fashion & Home & Chris Rowbottom, Executive Assistant)
Dunkin Donuts (Chris Patel, Manager, 1735 Jerome Avenue, Bronx, NY) (www.dunkindonuts.com)
EmbroidMe (www.embroidme-midtownnyc.com)
Film Biz Recycling (Eva Radke) (www.filmbizrecycling.org)
I Lite 4 U (Joyce Martinez) – www.ilite4u.com
Mac Cosmetics – Times Square Store (Adriana Ruiz) (www.maccosmetics.com)
NYCWebstore.com (www.nycwebstore.com)
Monoprice (Sean Lee) (www.monoprice.com)
One Sweet Bowtique
P.C. Richards, East 86th Street, New York (Chris) – www.pcrichard.com
RedCarpetStore.com (www.redcarpetstore.com)
Sit down New York – (www.sitdownny.com)
Tekserve (Dave Lerner) – www.Tekserve.com
The Beacon School (Student Leader: Tess Wolgemuth) – www.beaconschool.org
Zipcar (Monica Brouwer, Marketing Manager) – www.zipcar.com
Individuals
Francesco Acocella
Jan Albert
Brenda L. Allen
Cynda Collins Arsenault
Shari Behar
Lisa Bernardi
Melissa Blemur
Yvette Calenda
Ciretta Carroll
Erika Cascione Looney
Joyce Cobb
Daniel Costello
Mr. Anthony Daddino & Ms. Susan Bevan
Dilicia De Jesus
Kristin Long & Katherine Deats
Ruth DiCasoli
Sandra Esguerra
Mason Evans
Nancy Feher
Carolyn Fitzmaurice
Lefkie Fradelos
Stephanie Freeman
Carol Gertner
Colleen Glendening
Leigh Golterman
Vionnette Gonzalez
Douglas Gottfired
John Haney
Chloe De La Harpe
Anna Harreveld
DV8
Virginia Incalcaterra
Farial Islam
Hilary Jay
Christina Jernigan
Amber Jones
Vera Jones
Jon Kalish
Paul Kempisty
Janet Kerchman
Denise Kimberg
Frances Lim
Kristin Long
Cory Mahler
Shirley Mansukhani
Peter McCoy
Janet McNamee
Kim McPherson
Heather McQuade
Pam McQuade
Kimberly Mossel
Donna Naughton
Rebecca Nelson
Pauline Noble
Kathy O'Brien
Kim Oransky
Juan Ovalles
Evelyn Perez
Vidalina Quinones
Audrey Richards
Mr. & Mrs. Marc Rinaldi
Aileen Salvante-Martin
Jessica & Karn Santikul
Arlene Santos
Paul Shoyinka
Belinda Sigstad
Parrish Smith
Orlean Sorio
Sarah Suh
Heather Torn
Maritza Tribuzio
Jane Uzzell
Michele Velotti Golom-Polgano
Gus Voyatgis
Camille Walker
Rebecca Wheelright
Tom Willson
Kendall-JaneWilson
Richard Zentko