HALO

The Halo Awards was such an amazing experience! I had so much fun and I feel very blessed to have been selected as one of the five honorees.

On Friday, the 16th, the day before the taping of the show, I was brought into a room filled with racks of beautiful dresses and heels, all chosen by stylist Katja Kahill. I was able to pick any outfit I wanted! Of course, the many different stylists there helped to choose just the perfect outfit. After choosing a gorgeous metallic burgundy dress and matching sparkly purple heels, the producers took us to the Hollywood Palladium for dress rehearsal. This was for about an hour. It was awesome to be able to see the set, which was decorated gorgeous. All of us honorees practiced our speeches, then we went on our way.

Saturday was the big day! At 11:30am, I went down to a room at the hotel set up specifically for hair and makeup. First, the makeup artist did an absolutely fabulous job with my eyes. Then, the hair guy did something a bit different, but I ended up loving the style. Then at 3:45pm, we headed over to the Hollywood Palladium, to walk the orange carpet.

Walking the orange carpet was definitely a surreal experience. There were so many photographers, all wanting to take our picture. There was also a lot of press, so for a good forty-five minutes, we did interviews on the orange carpet. Finally, we were escorted into the venue, and straight to the Champagne Lounge, which was for VIPs. In the Champagne lounge, me and the three other honorees, Matt Ferguson, Kylie Lan Tumiatti, and Taylor Waters, hung out and took pictures.

Finally, it was time for the awards show to start. It began with "Halo Style" by the LXD. This was absolutely incredible. Then, the award show progressed and all of our individual honoree segments were shown. The other winners are incredible, I definitely encourage everyone out there to check out their segments and work. When it was my turn to go on stage, Heather Morris from Glee presented me with a $10,000 college scholarship. Then, Nick Cannon told me that Chevrolet is going to sponsor Threads for Teens on Tour by providing the fuel and lodging for the tour!!! Lastly, Victoria Justice came on stage and presented Threads for Teens with a bunch of brand-new clothes from the set of the show Victorious.

The HALO Award Show was incredible, and I am so blessed to be a part of it. I would like to thank Nickelodeon for providing me with such a fabulous opportunity.

XOXO


Allyson Ahlstrom

Jefferson Award Winner: Allyson Ahlstrom « CBS San Francisco

Jefferson Award Winner: Allyson Ahlstrom « CBS San Francisco

3rd Annual Threads for Teens Backpack Back-to-School Event

Back-to-School Backpack Event!

Threads for Teens will be hosting a backpack drive on August 11th, 2012. At this event, one hundred-fifty girls will be given backpacks filled with school supplies, who might not have been able to afford them otherwise. There are four ways that you can help us to reach our goal of 150 backpacks!

• Sponsor a backpack filled with supplies by donating $30. For $30, Threads for Teens will fill a backpack with your donation.
• Donate any amount of money, even $5 helps us to getting to our goal of 150 backpacks.
• Donate a brand-new backpack! We are always looking for more backpacks to fill.
• Fill a backpack with school supplies and donate it directly to Threads for Teens.

Here is the list of supplies that will be needed in each backpack:

  One backpack

  One notebook

  One red pen

  One pack of blue or black pens

  One pencil holder

  One pair of scissors

  One 12" ruler

  One glue stick

  Four pencils

  One packet of graph paper

  One pack of colored pencils (12ct)

  One pack of crayons (12 ct)

  One binder

  One highlighter

  One pack of flash cards (100 ct)

  One big pink eraser

  Several small pencil head erasers

  1 pack of #2 pencils (12ct)

  2 pocket folders

  1 pencil sharpener

If you are interested in helping out by donating $30, you can mail a check to Threads for Teens or you can donate online via PayPal.

or mail a check made out to Threads for Teens:

Threads for Teens

ATTN: Allyson Ahlstrom

620 McClelland Drive

Windsor, CA 95492

*All donations will be eligible for a tax deduction as Threads for Teens is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

If you would like to help out by directly donating a backpack filled with supplies, that is awesome! The drop-off dates and times are listed below. If you can not make any of these, please email me and other arrangements can be made.

Sunday, July 22nd: 11:00am-3:00pm

Monday, July 23rd: 10:30am-1:30pm

Tuesday, July 31st: 5:00pm-7:00pm

Saturday, August 4th: 11:00am-3:00pm

If you have any questions, please email me: allysonahlstrom@gmail.com

Thank you so much for your help!

Here's to this event being a HUGE success.

Thanks,

Allyson Ahlstrom

Threads for Teens New Location

(Please excuse the 'S' from being missing...it fell off right before the picture was taken!)

It is official. The new Threads for Teens boutique is finally opened! I would like to take a moment to thank everyone that helped along the way.

Kelsey Marie of Kelsey Marie Designs

First off, without the fabulous help of Kelsey Marie from Kelsey Marie Designs, the boutique would definitely not be as cute as it is. She spent hours upon hours of working on all the decorations. She did an amazing job and I would give her the highest possible recommendation to work on future interior design projects, or if you would like a custom mirror like the one seen in the boutique, she would be more than happy to customize one to fit your needs. Also, she's an extremely accomplished painter as seen with the gorgeous cow that is hanging in the boutique. She's a doll and has so much talent. Words cannot describe my gratitude, but I guess thank you will have to suffice on this blog! To the left is a picture of Kelsey and I showing off some of the cute skirts in the boutique! You might see the cow in the background, which she painted!!

(Kelsey did a whole re-haul of this chandelier! It used to be yellow and green!)

(Kelsey redid this mirror as well.)

Grandpa Gus
My Grandpa Gus was a lifesaver when it came to this boutique. He made sure to make sure that everything was installed properly and structurally sound. Definitely, this place would be a mess on the ground if he had not come to help.

Wayne Moss of Robert W. Moss Painting
So, I asked a bunch of my friends if they would come help me with painting the walls. A ton came and helped, which was great. However, none of us are actually professionals and as a result, paint ended up all over the ceiling and baseboards. Wayne came and fixed all our mess-ups, which was perfect. He also painted the baseboards, which was super helpful as well. If you are ever in need of a painter, definitely call Wayne as he is extremely professional and gets jobs done in a timely manner.
cell phone: (707) 217-9987 home phone: (707) 569-0644


Adam Springer
On his business card, Adam describes himself as an "artist extraordinaire", which is the exact title that I would give to him. His work is very eclectic and full of life and color. Adam was kind enough to let us display several of his pieces around the boutique. Let me tell you, they're awesome. At the open house, the paintings were extremely popular. I would most definitely recommend checking out his art as it is definitely interesting and will make your room shine. Make sure to check out his website HERE.

Joyce Hasselbeck
Joyce is another artist who donated her beautiful pieces for display. Her work is definitely what I would describe as whimsical, yet refined. The art is gorgeous. One of the pieces, an Alice in Wonderland painting, is my absolute favorite and many other's favorite. So many people come into the boutique and notice the Alice painting right of the bat! I love it so much that I secretly call it the "Allyson Wonderland"! Joyce does commissions and also has many more beautiful paintings! Make sure to check out her website HERE.

Katie Bipes
My friend Katie from school was kind enough to spend three days straight doing chalk drawings on the whole back wall. They are fabulous and definitely make the boutique pop as you first look inside. Thank you Katie! Below is just a small portion of the chalk drawing that she did. The first picture that shows the whole boutique, shows the extent of her art.

Feleashia DenBeste
Feleashia took pictures of the boutique for me and they turned out fantabulous! She is an awesome photographer who does weddings, senior portraits, and family shoots. If you are ever in need a photographer, definitely have Feleashia make your moment special! Click HERE for her Facebook page.


Jack Bowlby
My friend Jack from school took some awesome pictures and video as well. I really appreciate your help Jack! :)

Lastly, I would like to thank all of the volunteers who spent their time painting, making shelves, organizing, etc.
Synica M., Shelby D., Morgan E., Natalie R., Sunshine H., Arianna J., Kelsey G., Taylor E., Caitlyn R., Dylan S.!

This boutique has most definitely been a labor of love. I am now so excited for it to be open and ready to go. Already, eight girls have come in and fallen in love with the design. The boutique is located at 620 McClelland Drive, Windsor, CA  95492. If you would ever like to stop by, please shoot me an email! Or, if you just happen to be on the Windsor Town Green and the door is open, please stop on by.
Thank you to everyone!
Allyson Ahlstrom

Threads for Teens New Location Debut

Threads for Teens To Unveil New Location on the Windsor Town Green

Santa Rosa, CA, June 22^nd 2012—On June 29^th, 2012, Threads for Teens will be debuting its brand-new location on the Windsor Town Green. The space, located at 620 McClelland Drive, was generously donated for use by Bill and Lori DenBeste of DenBeste Motorsports. Threads for Teens is a non-profit organization that provides brand-new clothing to girls who are in foster care, live in group homes, or are subjected to situations of poverty. Threads for Teens was previously located off of Conde Lane in Windsor. Over the course of the past several months, volunteers have been tediously working to prepare the new location for girls to come shop. Many local donors have come forward to help support the renovation, including the home and outdoor design shop Cokas Diko.

Threads for Teens was founded in January 2010 by then fourteen-year-old Allyson Ahlstrom with the goal of helping less fortunate teenage girls feel confident and hopeful by providing clothing, support, and education. Since the opening of the boutique, over one hundred seventy-five girls have been provided with new clothing from well-known brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger, Miss Me, American Eagle Outfitters, and Ugg Australia, with over $100,000 worth of clothing donations and $40,000 in cash donations.

Allyson Ahlstrom, now seventeen years old, recently won the National Build-a-Bear Huggable Heroes award. Huggable Heroes is a program founded in 2004 to honor and reward young people for giving back to their communities, their schools and our world. In celebration of the company’s 15th birthday, Build-A-Bear Workshop® will honor 15 Huggable Heroes this year and donate $150,000 to their education and charitable causes. The national youth program, which recognizes young people for giving back to their communities and around the world, awards each Huggable Hero $10,000 (a $7,500 educational scholarship and $2,500 from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to be donated to the 501(c)(3) charity or Canadian cause of the Huggable Hero’s choice). More information is available at buildabear.com/huggableheroes.

The grand opening will take place on Friday, June 29^th 2012, from 6:00pm-9:00pm. At this time supporters can come to the drop-in event to see the wonderful transformation that the boutique has undergone and learn about the programs and initiatives that Threads for Teens has sponsored in the past and will undertake in the future. The event will be catered with appetizers, generously donated by Mary’s Pizza Shack. For more information, please go to www.threadsforteens.org or call Allyson Ahlstrom at (707) 483-9128, or email her at allysonahlstrom@gmail.com. 

Prom Dress Event

Threads for Teens and Prom Closet of Santa Rosa to Host Formal Fantasy Prom Dress Event for Under-Privileged Teen Girls

Santa Rosa, CA, March 25^th 2012—On March 31^st, 2012, Threads for Teens and Prom Closet of Santa Rosa will be hosting Formal Fantasy, an event where prom dresses will be collected to give to under-privileged teen girls that reside within Sonoma, Marin, Lake, and Mendocino Counties. At this dress drop-off event, people can donate gently-used formal dresses, long or short, that a teen girl could wear to her prom. The event will take place at the Threads for Teens boutique from ten in the morning to one in the afternoon at 620 McClelland on the Windsor Town Green. Threads for Teens and Prom Closet of Santa Rosa will then distribute all collected dresses to girls in need at individual appointments during the month of April.

Threads for Teens was founded in January 2010 by then fourteen-year-old Allyson Ahlstrom with the goal of helping less fortunate teenage girls feel confident and hopeful by providing clothing, support, and education. Since the opening of the boutique, over one hundred fifty girls have been provided with new clothing from well-known brands, such as Tommy Hilfiger, Miss Me, American Eagle Outfitters, and Ugg Australia, with over $100,000 worth of clothing donations and $40,000 in cash donations. Prom Closet of Santa Rosa was founded in January 2011 by then fourteen-year-old Natalie Piazza, with the mission to provide prom dresses to girls in need. Since the inception, Natalie has collected over five hundred prom dresses to contribute to this endeavor.

At the Formal Fantasy event on March 31^st at the Threads for Teens storefront located in Windsor, people that have dresses to donate will be able to come, drop the dress off, and receive several incentives for participating.

Various companies, foundations, and individuals have donated many formal dresses to this cause. Already, over seven hundred fifty dresses have been collected for the event. Threads for Teens and Prom Closet of Santa Rosa would like to serve five hundred girls, so more dresses are needed. Donations of hair, nail, and tanning salons gift certificates to provide to girls who receive a prom dress are also most helpful. Sponsorship of a prom dress is available for fifty dollars, which covers the cost to purchase one prom dress. For more information on the event and sponsorship options, please go to www.threadsforteens.com or contact Allyson Ahlstrom at (707) 483-9128 or allysonahlstrom@gmail.com.

Metamorphosis by Threads for Teens!

The fundraiser on February 25th 2012 was a great success for Threads for Teens. I am so grateful to everyone that came out and supported a cause so dear to my heart. The event was a smashing success. In one night, Threads for Teens was able to raise $20,000. There is only one word to describe my feelings, WOW. Once again, I must reiterate how shocked and amazed that so many people are willing to support an organization that was started when I was just fourteen years old. Threads for Teens has grown into so much more than I ever thought, thanks to the amazing support that this community has shown. THANK YOU. I have attached pictures from the event below.

In other news, Threads for Teens will be moving to the Windsor Town Green. I am beyond excited for this move. When Threads for Teens is officially settled, there will be a huge open house event. More details to follow.

XOXO
ALLYSON AHLSTROM

Threads for Teens Contest!

CONTEST! I have a copy of the book "Generation Change" by Zach Hunter and a Threads for Teens tee to give away to one lucky winner! Please "like" the contest post on Facebook to enter. Click HERE. You can only enter once. This contest will end on January 10th. One person will be chosen at random. For an additional entry you can share the post on Facebook. If you do not have a Facebook, you many comment you full name on this blog post to enter. Good luck!