Welcome to Ruby Girl! Isn’t Elaine Dalton just the best? If you wonder if she really cares about YOU, I can promise you she does.
My name is Michelle Lehnardt, I’m the editor here at RubyGirl.org and I’m so glad and grateful you’ve taken a moment to come and see our site. Since we’re brand new, we still need quite a bit of help and we’d really like to build a website and community you enjoy. Every one of your questions and emails will be read and considered.
So let me give you a quick overview of RubyGirl.org. Right now, we have a daily blog staffed by writers of all ages from all over the world, video interviews, daily Instagrams, videos, an advice column and book and movie reviews. If you’d like to join our staff or submit artwork, videos, a blog post or a book/movie review please use the CONTACT or SUBMIT pages.
In the next few weeks, we’d like to add a RubyGirl Snapchat story where girls all over the world take over the account for a day and show us what their life looks like in their corner of the planet. Our Snapchat account will also host events for holidays, General Conference weekend, etc. I’m sure you have ideas too.
On Friday, April 22nd we’ll host our first live Q&A session. You’ll have an opportunity to submit questions ahead of time and also in a live feed. Our first Q&A will be “Ask a teenage boy.” We have six teenage boys to answer your questions. In the future we’ll have different individuals and groups answer questions: “Ask a Bishop” “Ask a member of the YW’s General Board” “Ask the girls of Brisbane, Australia Ward” etc. Please let us know who you’d like to hear from, or if you’d like to host a Q&A session (all you need is a computer with a camera). This week, I interviewed Elaine Dalton, next week our video interview will be Ellie Heiden who will talk about her learning disorder and coming unto Christ. Who would you like to seen interviewed on RubyGirl? We’re looking for ordinary and extraordinary stories.
This August, we’ll host a Ruby Girl Retreat in Salt Lake City including a trip to the Salt Lake Temple, clothing exchange, writing workshops, painting, videography, photography and floral design classes. Again, tell us what you’d like in a retreat and we can try to make it happen.
What else? Well, we have all kinds of dreams and plots and plans. Ruby Girl t-shirts? Submit a design! Hiking groups? Temple trips? Tutorials on making skirts. Special projects where we go in depth about a subject.
By now, I hope you know I want to hear your thoughts. One of my favorites activities with my family is making videos for my missionary sons. The main lesson I’ve learned from making these videos is EVERYONE HAS GREAT IDEAS. Sometimes great ideas start out sounding silly, but when I take the time to listen, when people know they won’t be mocked or belittled, magic happens. I’m passionate about the synergy created by a group of people working toward a common purpose and I know we can create something amazing together.
So, thanks for reading and please let me know your thoughts. I’m LISTENING!
Lizzie Beth Robbins
April 13, 2016 at 9:41 amWow! This video is so powerful! I loved the part when Sister Dalton said that we are not alone. There are many other girls all around the world who believe in this gospel and have the same values. I am so excited to learn from many girls and women all around the world through RubyGirl. I can’t think a better way for a group of women to be able to unite through the power of words and Jesus Christ.
Lori cluff
April 14, 2016 at 9:35 amI love this idea! As a mom and a YW leader for lots of years I love the idea of teaching girls to use social media in a positive way. Embracing new technology and helping them navigate it! I have tried to stay aware and up to date of new technology so I can help them use it and steer clear of the dangerous technology. I love the idea of positive affirmation for girls and ways to help them live themselves and connect with like minded girls. Theis could be an amazing missionary tool for Girls investigating the church as well!! Endless possibilities!!! I’m excited for you and this adventure and that we get to follow along! Thank you!!
Andrea ERICKSON Lindsey
April 14, 2016 at 10:15 amWhat a wonderful idea! I too love the symbolism of Rubies. May God bless you in your efforts to help for your women know their true identity. Thank you Sister Dalton for all you do. Love Andrea
Pam Jenkins
April 13, 2016 at 1:24 pmLove the new site! I’m going to pass the information to my YW at church so they can follow!
TaylorBerhow
April 13, 2016 at 1:42 pmThis is great & it’s exciting to have the support of such an inspirational woman. Thanks for sharing!
Penny Duncan
April 13, 2016 at 1:42 pmI have followed your recommended strategy for finding modest clothes for my teen daughters for years. It works! Don’t give up.
RubyGirl.org or what I’ve been working on lately… » Scenes from the Wild
April 13, 2016 at 5:33 pm[…] Since then, I’ve been building a site (and then had darling web designer Emilie Knecht jump in to rescue me) recruiting staff and solving 501 problems.And today, we’re throwing open the doors with a video interview with Elaine Dalton. […]
Michele Lenz
April 13, 2016 at 9:32 pmThis website is so uplifting and encouraging. I just love the spirit that Sister Dalton has.
Our young women are so very special, and they have an amazing ability to encourage each other to rely on faith when faced with challenges. The more we can focus on the unique and beautiful attributes of our young women, the greater and more positive the influence on future generations.
Lauri
April 13, 2016 at 9:35 pmMaybe do a monthly book club reading. Do ruby girl conferences where girls get together to learn and talk and share etc..
Ang
April 13, 2016 at 11:32 pmThis is a great site! You should do a story on Jenn Blosil, American Idol top 10. On her Facebook page she was calling herself “a Ruby”. I’d like to hear more about her standing out while keeping her values.
Mary
April 14, 2016 at 1:42 amWhat a wonderful site! I have always loved Sister Dalton and her words are still so full of love and caring. Isn’t it great that we can use technology to gather all together and support one another? I’ll be sure and spread the word about what you’re doing here. I’m excited to watch it grow!
Brenda McSaawa
April 14, 2016 at 4:59 amThe idea behind RubyGirl is great! I love it already. Thank you Sister Dalton. I hope those of us outside USA, specifically in Africa can fully participate in activities as well
Dawanda
April 14, 2016 at 6:38 amI love this idea. I can’t wait to show my daughter tonight. She loves to write and this will give her a safe place to do so. If I can help in any way please let me know, I would love to help the girls.
Julee
April 14, 2016 at 6:55 amThis is such a beautiful and wonderful idea! I think we should have virtue parties wherever we are in the world where young women can get together and each invite a lady in their stake or ward that they admire and have a q&a session where they come prepared with questions for those they admire. Here’s a twist on the usual q&a, the sisters they invited could bring some thought provoking questions to inspire the young women to think about their capabilities and future potential. There could be notes taken and then they could spend the rest of the time writing out the advice onto pretty paper to hang in their room or in mirrors. It could be called virtue night. I hope to be able to contribute to this neat website and community of elect daughters of God.
Lenore Rivera
April 14, 2016 at 8:33 amI’m so glad to see this website to have good places to go to be inspired together also to have virtuous interactive sites available for this time of technology advancement. Pleased to be able to show my daughter there are many girls and women with high moral standards throughout the world.
Deanna Baird
April 17, 2016 at 8:13 amThanks for sharing. I love your idea of a virtue party.
Debbie Me noni
April 14, 2016 at 11:32 amI am excited to share this with our wonderful young women. What a wonderful resource for them, for uplifting information, and fun ways to join with their sisters around the world in common goals.
JFay
April 14, 2016 at 5:40 pmI love Sis. Dalton. I remember seeing and learning from her for years since she was a counselor and then a General YW President. I love it because she has 5 boys and so do I. So I loved the part about her boys and knowing some of the boy secrets!!! haha. Thank you for this site and I am too excited to share this with our YW. Looking forward to seeing and reading more.
Jacqueline White
April 29, 2016 at 9:16 amSo excited about RubyGirl and getting to know Young Women around the world. There’s much more that unites us than divides us.