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By Paula Maxwell Contributor
INDIAN HILL - Party-goers recently celebrated more than a birthday with an Indian Hill teenager whose generosity of spirit gives a whole new meaning to "sweet sixteen."
Claire Stegman and 70 of her sophomore classmates at Cincinnati Country Day School joined friends and family on a riverboat in Newport, Ky., for a traditional birthday celebration with a different twist.
In lieu of gifts, Claire suggested donations could be made to the Breast Cancer Alliance of Greater Cincinnati.
"My parents told me I should think about celebrating the occasion by doing something meaningful at the same time. Everyone thought the idea was great. The donations received were incredible," she said.
About 140 people danced, dined and partied in the midst of a pink ribbon theme and received engraved coins titled "a night to remember ...". Claire later hosted a sleepover with 15 of her close friends.
She said the best part of it all, however, was the nearly $1,000 in contributions to the BCA - a birthday gift she will never forget.
"It felt so good to know that I could give something back, especially when my grandmother and my mom's best friend are breast cancer survivors and my great aunt died of the disease."
Breast Cancer Alliance (BCA) is an independent, nonprofit volunteer organization which is committed to making breast cancer issues a top priority in public and private sectors through advocacy, education and communication for breast cancer victims, survivors and others.
"This is the first time I know of that a teenager has done something like this," said BCA President Ann Hernick of Montgomery.
"It was a selfless thing to do. Usually teenagers are focused on themselves. We were thrilled with the donation."
Claire said that she was inspired by the example set by her parents, Todd and Cathy Stegman, who encouraged the donation, as well by the sense of community involvement encouraged by her school through service programs such as volunteering at Ronald McDonald House and local soup kitchens.
A junior with an interest in art, Claire said she hopes to purse a career in fashion design and would love to attend the University of Cincinnati which boasts one of the top fashion programs in the country.
Claire said that she has learned at an early age that the gift is in the giving.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Breast Cancer Alliance can log on to www.bcacincy.org.
"We hope donations such as Claire's will inspire others to this worthy cause," Hernick said.
indianhill@communitypress.com
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