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Cancer survivor wins personal makeover in Newport News Library contest

Rita Dennis is the grand prize winner

As the grand prize winner in the Newport News Public Library System’s Dream Makeovers contest, Dennis will be treated to a day-long, image development workshop complete with a personal makeover. Her entry was randomly chosen from among more than 150 entries submitted by those who attended free “how-to” workshops presented in the Library’s yearlong Dream Makeovers series of programs.

Longtime Newport News resident Rita Dennis learned a lot of skills in 2008 that she can use for improvements around the house – gardening, car and home maintenance, working with an architect. But in early 2009, the grandmother and four-time cancer survivor will get a whole different type of improvement lesson.

As the grand prize winner in the Newport News Public Library System’s Dream Makeovers contest, Dennis will be treated to a day-long, image development workshop complete with a personal makeover. Her entry was randomly chosen from among more than 150 entries submitted by those who attended free “how-to” workshops presented in the Library’s yearlong Dream Makeovers series of programs.

“I’m really excited about winning this because I’m going through a difficult time right now, and it will give me a good boost,” she said.

Dennis will receive a Branding for People (TM) image development workshop valued at $697, provided compliments of Sandy Dumont, Norfolk’s The Image Architect. The personalized session will last six to seven hours and include exclusive information about the use of color, the importance of accessories, power dressing, a makeup session and makeover.

Dennis said she hopes to schedule her session in February to coincide with a special ceremony planned for her granddaughter. And that will be almost a year since she attended her first Dream Makeovers workshop.

In March 2008, she won a door prize at Grissom Library’s “Create Container Gardens” workshop. “Now I know how to plant a plant, how to maintain it and the importance of fertilizer,” Dennis said. “I never knew you could remove the tangled roots, before I just planted it like it was.”

In April, she went to the “Ladies, Start Your Engines” car repair for women class sponsored by Pearl Bailey Library and Casey Chevrolet. “Instructor Lori Johnson was phenomenal, and Casey Chevrolet really went out of their way to treat us so well,” she said. “I had never changed a tire before, and the workshop gave us some confidence. Lori stressed the importance of finding a good, honest mechanic -- good knowledge to have before going into car repair places.”

At the “Working with an Architect” workshop in May at Main Street Library, “I learned how you can work with an architect to open up and change your home,” she said. And she brought others along with her to the “Home Repair” workshop in September at Pearl Bailey Library.

“Instructor Michael Pack was great and provided a lot of practical information, like how to maintain a refrigerator — the back of my refrigerator had never been off — and how to repair a hole in the wall so that it blends in and you can’t tell there was a hole.”

Other workshops in the series were “Cycles of the Garden,” at West Avenue Library, “Clean up Your Credit Report,” “Start a Small Business,” and “Photo Restoration.” Libraries also provided free tips and resources on each of the topics.

 “They improved my everyday skills,” Dennis said of the workshops. “It was a free learning experience, and I thought the programs were convenient and met my needs.”

Each year, the Newport News Public Library System presents themed programs that are free and open to the public. Storytelling programs will be presented in 2009 with the theme, “What’s Your Story? Share it at Your Library!”

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