Miss N.J. to represent area charity in upcoming pageant
Voorhees residents may want to pay more attention to the pageant circuit this year, as, for the first time ever, the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation will be represented at the Miss USA Pageant.
On June 8 at 7 p.m. on the NBC network, Miss New Jersey will be representing the ARVF as her platform. Emily Shah has been active with the Voorhees-based ARVF charity for more than five years.
“Having Miss Teen New Jersey World and now Miss New Jersey USA appear at our events and join us at hospital visits has been inspirational for teens. She is a good role model with intelligence, poise and compassion,” ARVF founder Gisele DiNatale said. “Needless to say, we were so honored and proud. Emily has been involved and supporting ARVF since she was 15.”
DiNatale started the foundation with her husband Mario after their daughter Alicia Rose passed away from a rare form of childhood cancer in 2002. Since organizing materials and events in their own home, the ARFV now has a professional office space in the Voorhees Town Center.
More than the national recognition the charity will receive after being presented live by Shah as her platform, DiNatale mentioned the attitude Shah projects to teens and children being helped by the ARVF as most impressive.
“She is the youngest contestant … does not surprise us. She is mature, poised, polished and refreshing, and that she can be this, and inspire teens with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses … pretty amazing,” DiNatale said.
With DiNatale and other ARVF volunteers, many being from Voorhees like the DiNatales, Shah has visited children’s hospitals to donate “teen kits” from the ARVF as part of the majority of her community service work.
“The teen kit program is designed for the in-patient population of children, specifically adolescents ages 12 and up, who are receiving treatment for cancer or other life-threatening illnesses,” DiNatale described.
DiNatale further described the kits as custom nylon cinched bags, which are filled with a variety of teen-appropriate items that entertain and comfort newly diagnosed patients.
Each kit also contains a unique, custom sewn pillow. With Shah’s help, the ARVF has donated kits to more than 2000 children per year.
Most recently, Shah joined the ARVF on Jan. 23 to recognize Teen Cancer Awareness Week. DiNatale explained the impact Shah’s positive energy had on the teens she met during visits to multiple local hospitals. However, one moment stuck out in DiNatale’s mind as especially memorable.
“A very interested teen being treated for cancer lit up when she saw Emily. She then proceeded to tell her about her dreams of pageantry, and how she started, but got interrupted by her diagnosis,” DiNatale explained. “She wore Emily’s crown, and I watched the two of them hug and share their stories. Watching this teen light up from Emily’s visit reminded me of the work we try to do in the hospitals.”
Shah has also participated in helping the ARVF with programs separate of the teen kits and visits. These programs include the teen lounge program, the teen activities program and the teen enhancement program.
Though each of these programs is represented by Shah’s ARFV platform, the teen lounge program is possibly the most recognizable.
The program fundraised to install a special teens-only lounge at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where teens with cancer can escape and socialize.
Though at the time Shah will be seriously preparing to make her biggest television debut, and to bring all Miss USA viewers the chance to learn more about the ARVF, the group is hosting a local event on June 1.
The event is known as the 6th Annual Victorious 5K Run/Walk, and will begin at Lakeside Manor Paintworks Corporate Center in Gibbsboro. All Voorhees residents and friends are welcome to attend to benefit a charitable cause.
“The proceeds of this annual event benefits our local children’s hospitals. To date, ARVF has funded 61 teen lounges across the country and sent over 11,000 teen kits to hospitalized teens,” DiNatale said.
Advance registration is $25, with all proceeds going toward the ARVF teen kit and teen lounge programs. The first 400 participants will receive a gift bag and race themed t-shirt.
For more information about Shah or the upcoming event, please visit www.victoriousfoundation.org, or www.arvf.org/about-arvf/.
