Nova Vita Salon & Spa’s Blanket “Sew”cial Touches the Lives of Over 150 Children at CHOC Children’s Hospital

Orange County, CA, March 26, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Nova Vita Salon & Spa was flooded with volunteers as they opened their doors to host the first ever Blanket “Sew”cial benefiting CHOC Children’s Hospital on Sunday March 21st, 2010. Volunteers of all ages came out in droves, donating their time to make colorful fleece blankets, plush dog beds, and whimsical dog toys along with friendship cards for the foundation. Thanks to the overwhelming support of the Orange County community, Nova Vita Salon & Spa was able to double the amount of blanket donations they had originally hoped to achieve with a total of 101 blankets being produced. These cozy blankets, each with a cheerful card made from fabric scraps, offer warmth and comfort while putting a smile on the faces of children who are undergoing treatment for chronic illnesses. Recognizing the need to reduce waste, The Joyful Foundation has begun utilizing the fabric scraps left over from the blanket production to create dog beds and dog toys which get donated to local animal shelters. At this event alone, over 98 dog toys were made along with dozens of dog beds that will be donated. The Joyful Foundation’s Boutique, which donates 100% of all funds raised though the selling of Joyful Foundation promotional items back to the foundation, was able to raise in excess of $800 though the selling of its t-shirts, hats, coffee mugs and their signature dog toys and beds. These funds will go to produce an additional 50 blankets for donation. Thanks to the incredible efforts and diligent work of each volunteer during the four hour event, Nova Vita Salon & Spa will be able to donate over 150 blankets to the children receiving treatments at the CHOC Outpatient Infusion Center in Orange. “The Joyful Foundation’s goal at these cut and sew events is to create awareness within the area for the foundation and meet new prospective donors and volunteers who will allow the organization to grow, while completing as many blankets, dog toys, dog beds and cards as possible. Nova Vita Salon & Spa’s Blanket “Sew”cial was a true success on every level, and we are truly grateful for their partnership.”-Sandy Berg-Whiley, Founder, The Joyful Foundation.

About The Joyful Foundation: Sandy Berg-Whiley, when diagnosed with a chronic illness at age 50 realized how the simplest of things, such as a warm blanket, were the things she longed for the most. Sandy began to receive infusion treatments every 21 days that lasted 9 grueling hours, during which Sandy was cold and uncomfortable due to the medications she was receiving and frigid temperatures in the treatment center. To raise her spirits, Sandy’s mother made her a cheerful ducky fleece blanket that also provided warmth during these difficult treatments. Through this simple gift, Sandy realized the impact that such a gift could make on each of the other patients receiving treatment, and began to sew a few blankets each month to take to the various centers throughout Orange County. It was during one of her blanket drop-off’s that a nurse observed the impact that the blankets were making on the patients and contacted the Orange County Register to interview Sandy. Suddenly, Sandy began to receive requests from many hospitals and infusion centers throughout Southern California, and The Joyful Foundation was born. The Joyful Foundation is an organization of volunteers who are dedicated to providing comfort to individuals in their time of illness or hardship by providing lap blankets hand-made by Joyful volunteers to hospitals, cancer centers and individuals receiving long-term medical treatments such as chemotherapy or renal dialysis, as well as victims of spousal abuse and their children. The foundation utilizes 100% of donations to provide blanket supplies and hosts three “Cut & Sew Days” a month where volunteers gather together to make blankets. Today, the foundation is unable to keep up with the high volume of requests that come in on a daily basis for their blankets. However, through community events such as the Blanket “Sew”cial, the Joyful Foundation comes that much closer to fulfilling the requests on their rapidly growing waiting list. For more information please visit www.joyfulfoundation.org.

About Nova Vita Salon & Spa: Nova Vita Salon & Spa is a boutique beauty haven that offers a luxe list of services offering relaxation, renewal & rejuvenation of the mind, body & spirit. Salon services include traditional Cut and Color Services as well as Hair Extensions and Japanese Straightening Services. The indulgent day spa menu offers services such as the coveted Yam & Pumpkin Facial, Signature Facials by Eminence Organics, Waxing Services including Brazilian Bikini Waxing, Eyebrow Shaping, Eyelash and Eyebrow Tinting and Microdermabrasion. To complete each client’s experience, Nova Vita Salon & Spa stocks the most exclusive product lines including Bumble & Bumble, L’oreal Professional, Moroccan Oil, Eminence Organic Skin Care and glotherapeutics. Nova Vita’s signature facials have earned acclaim in 944 and Riviera Magazine, while their commitment to philanthropic efforts has touched the lives of many in the Orange County community. To learn more about Nova Vita Salon & Spa, please visit www.novavitasalon-spa.com or http://novavitasalon-spa.blogspot.com.

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