The Modified Dolls – Past Events

Our Chapters hosted some amazing events to raise money and awareness for our Charities of the Month:

TEXAS CHAPTER

On February 22nd, the Texas Chapter hosted a Rock and Roll Rummage Sale benefiting The Marfan Foundation @ Lola’s Saloon.

Heather, Ginger, Austen and Nicole of the Texas Chapter

UK CHAPTER

The UK Dolls raised funds through their Etsy page and eBay sales and adopted a wolf through Wolf Haven International.

OREGON CHAPTER

On January 18th, the Oregon Modified Dolls took a road trip to Wolf Haven International in Tenino, WA to volunteer and take a tour. The Washington Dolls were able to join them.  They sanded down signs and posts, varnished them, moved decorations around so that they could paint their building, cleaned some signs and cleared up some debris (branches and twigs) in visitor areas. The Oregon Dolls & Washington Dolls symbolically adopted 3 wolves, Klondike, Mehina, and Gypsy. AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!

LOUISIANA CHAPTER

February 7^th the Louisiana Dolls teamed up with Sailor’s Cross Tattoo & Gallery for a really fun event to benefit NAMI New Orleans!  Bear and Rachel from Sailor’s Cross offered seasonal flash for $40 and the Louisiana Modified Dolls received 40% of the cost of each tattoo for our charity of the month.  They also had several local musicians and artists come out to perform in the courtyard outside of Sailor’s Cross.  We had a tabled filled to the brim with goodies including chips, soda, sandwiches and king cake and offered four different raffle baskets including a booze basket, $100 gift certificate to Sailor’s Cross, and a Mega Basket—you name it, it was in there– stickers, cups, posters, incense, gift certificates, a Mardi Gras crown, a vet visit, AND MORE!  Representatives from NAMI New Orleans came out to show their support and gratitude for what the Louisiana Dolls were doing and invited them to stop by to take a tour and find out more about all the wonderful things they’re doing in the community. Nineteen tattoos were permanently etched for charity and they couldn’t have been more pleased with the turnout…or the weather!  They were able to raise a little over $700 for NAMI New Orleans while enjoying every minute of it!  It was a beautiful day, with some beautiful tattooed ladies, for a beautiful cause…who could ask for more!?! 

MISSOURI CHAPTER

The Missouri Dolls did the Polar Plunge on Saturday Feb. 7th. Four Dolls took the plunge and together raised $525, $25 more than their goal.

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER

The New England Chapter has HEART for the Marfan Foundation this month! They have been posting and promoting for the cause all throughout February. They are making sure their amazing fan base know the signs of Marfan Syndrome and reminding others that together, we can save lives.

ILLINOIS CHAPTER

In January, the Illinois Dolls held a Modified and Employed t-shirt campaign that ran for two weeks.  Through t-shirt sales and donations, they were able to raise $214 and donate $60 to Wolf Haven International!

BUILDING CHAPTERS

While our building chapters are not quite ready for fundraising, they are always eager to participate in our ‘like’ campaigns to support our Charities of the Month.  The Modified Dolls building chapters have been busy spreading the word that February is Marfan Awareness Month! Our hopefuls want to help the Marfan Foundation’s mission by informing the public on tips detecting the syndrome and knowing the signs that help save lives.

 

Ms Click on Marfan Syndrome

Ms Click is a very active member of The Modified Dolls Texas Chapter.  She has Marfan Syndrome, and since our Charity of the Month for February is The Marfan Foundation, she’d like to share her story with you:

“My mother passed away when I was 13 days old due to an aneurysm of the heart caused by Marfans. It was always believed that I too had Marfans, but there is no “test” for it… at least none that insurances will pay for testing your chromosomes. I started have super bad chest pains and shortness of breath, and palpitations in Oct of 1996. The Dr. I worked for told me I was having anxiety attacks, so they gave me anxiety medicine. It didn’t go away. He decided with my family history it couldn’t hurt to have an echocardiogram of my heart. They told me that everything looked ok, but my dad was not ok with the fact that my aorta was slightly enlarged (it was supposed to be 2.5 cm, it was 5.5 cm), back then surgery wasn’t until 6.1 cm. So they said they’d monitor it. A week later, I found out I was pregnant at the age of 20 and was super excited. LONG story short, I had to medically terminate the pregnancy, b/c my heart was already working double time (hence the chest pains, shortness of breath, and palpitations). Practically kicking and screaming, I did what the Dr’s ordered me to do… and I got VERY sick, my body was mad at me, and I was mad at me. That was in December (so I was only 11 weeks when I “medically terminated” the pregnancy… they say it that way so it doesn’t sound as bad. Though I still feel like a piece of me died that day). I had an IUD put in in Jan. because the Dr. told me that my heart wouldn’t be strong enough to ever carry full term.  February rolls around and I was still having chest pains…though the Dr thought is was psychosomatic b/c I was still very depressed about the abortion. End of February they sent me to a surgeon b/c they thought they “saw something different” in my results. I went on a Friday. The Dr was the same Dr. that had done my moms surgery 20 years before that. They said that it wasn’t surgery rate yet, and we should wait. My dad said we weren’t leaving until the surgery was scheduled. I was schedule for that following Monday (3 days later). He told my dad that he would fly a Dr. in from Houston and he understood if he didn’t want him doing the surgery. My dad said he trusted him fully. They went in to do the surgery and had already torn through the 2 most inner layers of my aorta (you only have 3 layers… so basically a sneeze could have killed me). My dad saved my life. Not the Dr.’s

The point to this is, Marfans is no joke. Most women who have it do not know until it is too late, and most die during child birth due to the strain on the heart. It is also common in athletes. You see them dropping on the court due to an aneurysm. It is somewhat of a silent killer.”

Check out our most recent upcoming events post to see what Ms Click and the Texas Chapter have in store for #MarfanAwareness Month!

The Modified Dolls Past Events

Our Chapters hosted some amazing events to raise money and awareness for our Charities of the Month:

LOUISIANA CHAPTER

On December 21st, the Louisiana Chapter held a screening of the movie Elf and hosted a small Christmas market at Siberia in New Orleans to benefit Operation Smile.  They also had a DJ come out and do a set of holiday-esque music and a raffle for two bottles of liquor.

OREGON CHAPTER

In December 2014, the Oregon Chapter participated in a holiday craft sale at David Douglas High School in Portland for the Union Gospel Mission of Portland.

UK CHAPTER

In December 2014, the UK Chapter raised £25 + £6.25 gift aid for Operation Smile UK in the Christmas fayres.

They also raised £58.59 + £11.75 gift aid for Operation Smile UK via JustGiving fundraising.  Head Doll, Selene V, asked family and friends to donate instead of buying Christmas gifts for her.

NEW ENGLAND CHAPTER

The New England Chapter has welcomed a bonded pair of wolves from Wolf Haven International into their hearts.  They have adopted London (appropriately named for the chapter) and Lexi – both rescued and happily residing in the same enclosure, loving their new, permanent life together.

ILLINOIS CHAPTER

In November 2014, the Illinois Chapter hosted food drives around Illinois, ultimately donating 494 pounds of food.

Following suit with the New England Chapter, the Illinois Chapter adopted Ladyhawk and Gypsy, residents of Wolf Haven International.

BUILDING CHAPTERS

While our building chapters are not yet ready for fundraising, they do their share for our Charities of the Month by creating awareness.  They were eager to take part in honoring January’s Charity of the Month, Wolf Haven International, along with our official chapters.  They have been actively promoting our We ‘Like’ Wolves Campaign, asking their supporters to show interest and raise awareness for WHI’s Facebook page.

January Doll of the Month

Each month we will be featuring a different member of our organization.  Our Doll of the Month for January 2015:

AMANDA LEE

Amanda Lee is Head Doll for WA State, which has close to 40 dolls!  She is a military spouse and mother of 3 children.  Her family is stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA (by Tacoma, WA).  Amanda is a registered nursing assistant, but currently works full time for Target while going to school full time online.  She is a Cub Scout Den Leader and a Girl Scout Troop Leader.  Amanda became a Doll when she first moved to WA state after she came across a table at an event.  Being new to the area, she didn’t know many people and thought that The Dolls were extremely welcoming and she loved their mission.  Amanda loves hiking, exploring, road trips, and going to shows.  Her favorite charities are the American Cancer Society, The March of Dimes, and anything that helps support the Military.

January 2015 Letter From the President

Dear friends, fans, and supporters,

I’m proud to introduce to you an organization I’ve held near and dear to my heart for three years, The Modified Dolls.

We, an organization made up of warmhearted and beautifully modified women, are in the business of breaking down negative stereotypes against women who choose to express themselves through body art.  In an effort to change the views of those who believe modified women hold lesser morals, members of our organization hold themselves to higher standards.  In addition to having careers, caring for families, and/or getting an education, our members give their time to fundraise and volunteer for charities to help those in need and to make the statement that modified women are much more than their skin.

The Modified Dolls Central Organization is located in Illinois.  We facilitate and serve chapters all over the world and encourage members to build new chapters.  We are a membership organization run by ten Officers and Directors who work on a strictly volunteer basis.

The Modified Dolls supports a different Charity each month.  Each year, we hand pick twelve Charities we believe serve communities, individuals, and animals in a way that is productive and meaningful.  We spread the word, encourage giving, hold fundraisers, and volunteer to make a difference for each organization.  In addition, our individual chapters often select local Charities to support.

Wolf Haven International is the 501(c)(3) organization we have chosen to support in January 2015.  Since 1982, Wolf Haven International has rescued and provided a lifetime home for over 180 displaced, captive-born animals.  Located in South Puget Sound, WA, Wolf Haven provides education on critically endangered wolves and encourages visitors.  To donate to or volunteer for Wolf Haven International, please visit the website link below.

Thank you for visiting our blog.  I hope you will explore some of the information and links I’m providing below.

Sincerely,

Kara ‘Hysteria’ Scott, President/Board Chair of The Modified Dolls

Next time:  Upcoming events from The Modified Dolls Official Chapters

Our Officers and Board of Directors:

President/Board Chair:  Kara Hysteria

Photo courtesy of Beautiful Life Photography

For three years, Kara has been a member and the President of the Modified Dolls Illinois Chapter.  Originally based in Washington State, The Modified Dolls Central Organization was moved to Illinois last year when she assumed the position of President/Board Chair for the Central Org.

Being modified, she’s endured disapproving looks and intrusive questioning.  When she stumbled upon The Modified Dolls in January 2012, she knew that she had found a home within the organization, and so she worked to create the Illinois Chapter.  Together, her members have supported over 35 Charities over the years and become friends and sisters.

She was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and became a hairdresser in 1993.  She owns a salon in the Chicago South Suburbs.  She has three children and enjoys arts and crafts, particularly sewing and crochet.

Vice President:  Red Kitten

Red Kitten became a member because she believes in what The Modified Dolls stands for.  She believes everyone should be treated equally no matter what their appearance.

She lives in Southern Illinois and works as an office manager.  For fun, she enjoys going bowling with her family.

Secretary:  Dame de Bauchery

Dame de Bauchery is a resident of Northwest Indiana and a member of the Illinois Chapter.  She is in retail management and enjoys burlesque and swing dancing.  Dame de Bauchery became a Doll because she enjoys doing charity work and The Modified Dolls was a perfect fit for her.

Human Resources Chair:  Mistress Butterfly

Mistress Butterfly is from Peoria, Illinois and works for a local urgent care.  She loves doing things with her children and roller derby.

She was looking for a place to grow and belong when she came across The Modified Dolls.  She loves everything the Organization stands for and the stereotypes and barriers we are hoping to break because we are a true family of awesome ladies who inspire.

Member Services Chair:  Rude

Rude loves lending a hand volunteering or fundraising and watching people’s minds change about the modified community.  She is from Harrisburg, PA and President of the PA Chapter, and while usually a state employee, she is currently gestating until April.

She loves hanging out with her friends and family, reading, and painting.  She also greatly enjoys petting cats and listening to punk rock music.

Social Media Chair:  Selene V

Selene V is from Plymouth, United Kingdom and President of the UK Chapter.  She applied to be a Modified Doll as from an early age, she always supported those who needed some help and spoke up for people who were ‘different’ from the majority.  In her personal life, she used to be judged on her appearance.  She left her home country (Hungary) when she was only 22 years old and moved to the UK on her own because people were very judgmental toward modified people, and unfortunately these negative stereotypes still very much exist in Mid-Eastern Europe.  She’s very passionate about being a Modified Doll and the Organization’s goal to support charities and people in need while challenging the negative stereotypes toward the ‘different’ modified women.

Selene V is a support worker and has a MA as a special needs teacher and is currently studying for a BA in criminology and psychology.  In her free time, she likes to go out with her dogs for day trips (she has two rescued puppies), meet with friends, and go to gigs.  Unfortunately, with full time university and work, she doesn’t have much free time, but always tries to find a way to do some volunteering and supporting charities.

Charity Coordination Chair:  Meg B

Meg B is from Kansas City, MO and President of the Missouri Chapter.  She has her master’s degree in social work and does research at the University of Missouri Kansas City.

Meg likes to go to car shows and see live music, and loves getting random fun tattoos.

Meg is a Doll because she thinks it’s important to prove to people that girls with tattoos aren’t trashy or bad people.  She thinks women who are heavily tattooed especially get a bad reputation, and she loves that The Dolls work to break that down.

Membership Chair:  Candi Lou

Candi Lou was born in Louisiana but is currently living in South Dakota and is President of the Dakotas Chapter.  She is currently a full time nursing student and single mom.

Candi loves photography and hanging out with her kiddo and friends.  Her newest hobby is learning about hockey.

Candi joined The Dolls because she loves tattoos and hates the negativity surrounding them.  She loves that we make a difference to break that stereotype.

Building Chapters/Design Chair:  Candi Love

Candi Love is a manicurist/business owner and President of the New England Chapter from Boston, MA.  She has lived in New England her whole life and never takes living on the shore for granted, she adores all-things-ocean! When she isn’t making women feel beautiful as a Nail Tech, she’s volunteering at local charity events, spending time with her family & pets at home and of course collecting tattoos along the way!

Candi Love has been heavily involved with TMD since the get-go and couldn’t be more proud to call herself a Doll! She helped develop the New England Chapter and has always been in full support of all the good TMD has done in the world!

Not Pictured:

Marketing/Public Relations Chair:  Lya Doll, Member of Washington State Chapter

Resources:

The Modified Dolls Website (our website is currently under construction so please check back often):  www.TheModifiedDolls.org

Please check our WordPress sidebar for our social media links

Wolf Haven International website:  www.wolfhaven.org

Wolf Haven International on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/Wolfhavenintl

Our Chapters have Facebook pages and other social media.  Please search by state or country if outside the U.S.

We accept applications from all over the world.  If a chapter doesn’t exist in your area, apply anyway!  Find our application here (an electronic application will be available on our website soon):  www.facebook.com/notes/the-modified-dolls/how-to-apply/459422217470309