Angel Faces — healing retreats designed to inspire adolescent girls with severe facial disfigurements to achieve their optimum potential.

Dear Friends, Angel Faces' Family and Supporters:

Welcome to our world of strength and courage, yes a little pain too but nothing we can't embrace and overcome. I'm proud and excited to announce our new DVD about Angel Faces.

Look up! Yes, that is us. The group – we just completed our fifth Angel Faces retreat. Wow. What a week! There were so many extraordinary moments the volunteers and the girls are all still "chatting" about their new found hope and hopefully getting much needed rest. We tried a few new things this year in the program and it worked out great: The first night we "opened" with individual presentations from the returning girls showing their life and how it has changed based on what they learned and the choices they have made since attending the last Angel Faces retreat. This was a powerful message not only for the Angel Faces volunteers (and me) to see their growth, but most importantly for the new girls to be inspired as to what the week held for them – if they gave the week their best. This new part of the program is something we will expand on in our growth...

Also new, we had an adolescent (and very mature and charismatic) boy, age 17 come and "Role Play" with the girls on "How to talk to a boy and not be so self conscious about their scars or facial differences". The girls also wrote anonymous questions for him to answer, such as "What if a boy says he doesn't like me because of my scars?" This new part of the program was a big success and one we will expand also.

Susan Fowler, Senior consultant from Ken Blanchard Company presented on discovering their Points of Power and Assumed Constraints. Many aha moments during Susan's presentation. We will continue to expand and weave this important module into the retreats.

Only again the Spa Experience was also a HUGE success. See the Spa page for more details.

So how do we really know what we teach – is what the girls get? Watch the new DVD above and peek at a few of emails (below) I received just days after the retreat.

Lastly, I'm so grateful for ALL the women volunteers who have stepped away from their life to give of their time, heart and spirit for an incredible week of inspiration and healing – to girls they never knew, until now. I am humbled.

Many Blessings,

Lesia Cartelli
Founder and Director

"Thank you so much for allowing my sister and I to come to camp this year. It was another AWESOME retreat! I love it so much. Angel Faces becomes very dear to me and my sister.

Yes, I actually use the skills that you guys have taught us. For example, today, I went to this Youth Conference for my work place and I was really worried at first. However, I kept Angel Faces in mind and what you guys have taught me and just be myself at the conference. I found it hard at first because there were so many youth that were there that I felt a little insecure! Eventually, I let my guards down so that I could enjoy the conference more. And guess what? I had so much more fun when I just be myself. I felt really happy after the conference end. I was proud of myself for being able to withstand a HUGE group of youths and adults.

No words can thank you enough for allowing me to go to camp. I will always think of you guys and Angel Faces when I'm going through tough times because I know that you guys WILL ALWAYS be there for me. Nini and Kiki, ages 15 and 17

"Lesia, as you might have been able to tell, my life has been completely changed for the better after the week at Angel Faces. I'm more confident around people I used to not even want to talk to. I'm comfortable talking to anyone who asks me questions, and I am all around more happy and strong. I have learned to not act like a victim and to always use my personal power and people will see me as a strong person. Most of this I have learned from you. You are an amazing, strong person and I still have a lot I can learn from you." Shawna, age 17