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A Day at Casa De Amparo

By Krista Monighetti

Each year Casa De Amparo takes in 170-200 abused children.

I never expected to be so inspired from someone so young, but I was. A young girl, probably around the age of 9, was the quieter one of her three sisters, and the oldest of them all. She was the rock that her siblings counted on to be there each day. Through the course of the morning she would tend to her sisters with love and patience, and calmly wait her turn for a little fun once they had their fill. As it was nearing the end of the event, the committee members smiled at another successful event. While packing up, the young girl tugged on my shirt. She was not ready for us to leave just yet. “Can you please help me make a necklace?” she asked as she saw me motioning to close the box of beds. “Why of course I can,” I replied. And with one bead after the next, the young girl and I threaded the string. She was excited and anxious to complete her new necklace and instantly knew what she wanted it to say, words to live by despite the obstacles she faces daily. We searched for each letter to make the perfect necklace and at her request to read: “Dance, Love, Dream.” Such inspiring words for an inspirational little girl.

On Saturday, September 16, 2006, the CAI San Diego Chapter’s Community Relations Committee set out to attend its annual, and much anticipated, visit to Casa De Amparo, in hopes to bring fun and laughter to children and teenagers much in need. Casa De Amparo is a private organization, which serves as an emergency shelter for children that have been taken away form their families due to neglect or abuse. The house name, which is synonymous to the term “house of refuge” also serves as both a treatment center for children and an intervention center for their families. The house cares for children ranging from 0 to 17 years old, with the purpose of being a temporary, and safe, transition home.

It was a memorable event for both committee attendees and children alike, as all shared in fun festivities from air brush tattoos, to jewelry making, manicures, to painting and drawing, and topped off with the always popular pizza lunch. This was a time for the children to relax and forget about the stresses in their own world; a time where they could enjoy the luxury of having a nice day in the sun, tattooed with Power Puff girls and butterflies, nails shimmering with a fresh coat of polish, jeweled with sparkly decorations, as if to feel like they were movie stars.

Thank you to those that attended and helped sponsor: Kristi Acee, Krista Monighetti, Lindsay King, Gloria Burns, Debbie Myrick, and the other volunteers for the day: John, Kylie, Christie and Becca. Also, thank you to Walters Management and Stephen Smith Landscape, and all Community Relations Committee Members, including Bob Rogers and Rick Martinez.

Krista Monighetti is a Community Relations Committee Member of Community Associations Institute (C.A.I) San Diego and the Director of Marketing for Pacific Green Landscape, Inc.

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