Golden wings

Time, talent or treasure are the three T’s that Ali Johnson, creator of Start Something Beautiful, uses to describe her new organization at UVU.

What is this new organization all about and how will it affect students at UVU? This newest addition to the many organizations at UVU is all about women. Their theme is “Engaging inspired women to share their success.”

Johnson was inspired to create this organization when her husband died last year. Instead of thinking of all the things that she missed about him, she chose to focus on all the wonderful opportunities that he allowed her to have.

“I always appreciated how he gave me my own wings. He told me to go fly around and be my best.” This is the idea behind the organization, and Johnson has handed out golden wings to every member of Start Something Beautiful to remind them of their potential and of the liberating power that all women posses.

This new organization encourages women to start something that they feel is beautiful; this could be their time, treasure or a talent.

Johnson knows three women who have been able to give to UVU. One woman shared a treasure and took money that she inherited from her mother and bought hundreds of books for the new library; she did this because of her mother’s love of reading.

Another woman who loves to sew shared her talent when she heard that the care center on campus needed blankets. She delivered 17 of them the next day, all handmade and sewn with love. Another member donated her time by coordinating a Christmas cooking class taught by Chef Troy to help earn funds for the culinary arts department.

Start Something Beautiful officially began on Sept. 25 with keynote speaker Natalie Gochnour, the current Chief Operating Officer of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce; she also was a Wasatch Woman of the Year and an assistant to Gov. Leavitt.

Johnson is excited about what has already happened and invites people who feel they have something to give to join. “Our goal is that our lives will provide inspiration and hope to others. We welcome their stories to be told,” said Johnson.

For more information, contact Ali Johnson at 863-7575.