ESTELLE RAMOS: Cultivating Young Women Purposefully

Story by Jane Grismer | Photography by Leidi Lester

In her role with Girls of Purpose, Inc., Estelle Ramos helps guide young women through faith-based enrichment programs to build character and confidence.

Coretta Scott King once said, “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members, a heart of grace, and a soul generated by love.”

Estelle Ramos lives these words every day in her life and work.

Founder and Executive Director of Girls of Purpose, Inc., Ramos—through the Girls of Purpose Organization—has been impacting others by creating a safe space for our young girls in Chatham County and surrounding areas to discover their purpose.

Inspiration

The need for a mentor in Ramos’ life as a child sparked her passion for Girls of Purpose. Further, Ramos noted, “girls are struggling with a lack of confidence, and self-motivation, to enter into spaces for which they have no exposure.”

Girls of Purpose equips and empowers young girls to contribute positively to their communities and the world at large.

Girls today face several challenges affecting their lives, including bullying, self-esteem issues, friend and peer pressure, insufficient sleep, loneliness, social pressure, teen pregnancy, and changes in family dynamics.

“We are partnering with our participant’s parents by providing a safe space for young girls to thrive while we teach them values and biblical principles to live by,” Ramos explained. “Learning to respect themselves, they will also be able to respect others.”

It is a place that gives a sense of belonging, strength, and well-being to anyone who walks through its doors.

Girls of Purpose provides a faith-based enrichment program for girls ages 8 to 12. There are currently 27 girls enrolled in the program, which aims to establish self-esteem and character development in adolescent girls so they discover the identity Christ gave them.

Ramos was born and raised in South Carolina and then moved to California for several years before her family relocated back to the South in 2016. At that time, she planted the seed for an organization

Building the Community

Since forming a 501(c)3 organization as a nonprofit, she has maintained contact with the community and shared Girls of Purpose, Inc.’s mission with others.

“I just believed God gave me a hunger and a thirst to do more,” she said. “Our youth need us, and I longed for these young girls to be poured into—this is the result of me just doing my part.” that could grow with young girls in need and a surrounding community that could nurture it.

In 2018, after she had gotten accustomed to the area, Ramos began moving forward with what God had placed in her heart and started the nonprofit organization she envisioned. She founded the organization to empower young girls to be confident, self-sufficient, and faithful.

During the Saturday sessions, there are a variety of activities for the girls. These activities include prayer, biblebased lessons, group discussions, writing exercises, team-building activities, life skills, training in nutrition education, and cooking lessons.

In addition, counselors are available for young girls who need assistance with issues such as bullying, family difficulties, anxiety, and other problems they may experience as they navigate the world.

Ramos’ core values align with the organization’s: “To love God, treat others as I would like to be treated, and serve with integrity and respect.”

During Girls of Purpose, the girls enjoy themselves in a suitable environment where they can make friends, develop and sustain new relationships, and encourage each other. With fun teambuilding activities, Girls of Purpose provides girls with a healthy outlet for emotional and physical growth. The participants develop life skills and pursue their dreams through empowering activities that enable them to reach their full potential. Girls can gain self-confidence, learn communication and problem-solving skills, build leadership experience, and make meaningful connections with others.

The program also teaches how to cultivate inner beauty, strength, resilience, and confidence to cope with everyday stress. Upon completion, the students are connections with each other and make a positive impact on their communities. As a bonus, adults in their communities see firsthand how these girls grow into strong young ladies.

“It’s so amazing to see the girls from when they came into the program to where they are now,” Ramos said. “How the girls are willing to get up in front of a group and give a speech or talk about themselves is so wonderful.” more empowered, confident, and ready to take on the next phase of their lives. Through these powerful activities and exercises, girls can build strong

When Ramos is not mentoring, her day-to-day activities include connecting and meeting with community partners, planning biweekly sessions, developing funding strategies, and assisting with meeting the needs of our neighbors without walls.

Community is the focus of Girls of Purpose. The program emphasizes collaboration, respect, and trust among its students. The organization also focuses on giving back to the community through volunteering.

Local Support

The encouragement and assistance of the local community enabled participants in Girls of Purpose to achieve feats they could never have imagined. Through the support of local businesses, civic organizations, and private donations, they can achieve big dreams, including organizing an annual gala.

In addition to celebrating Girls of Purpose’s accomplishments in the past year, the gala event is an inspiring reminder of what we can achieve when everyone works together.

At the event, participants from the organization can share their stories and experiences with other attendees, which helps create a sense of community and support.

The biggest reward of this extraordinary Girls of Purpose event is seeing how the young girls have grown into empowered individuals living well, wisely, and with wisdom, fulfilling their dreams.

Girls of Purpose, Inc. is grateful to every investor in the community, including the many local businesses that contribute to the organization, which is committed to creating a world where young girls can reach and realize their full potential without fear or stigma.

In addition, Ramos expresses gratitude to her husband, Frank, her family, the Girls of Purpose board members, Pastor Corey and Tomekia Williams, Hope City

Church, Pastor Bryan Parrish, Pooler Baptist Church, and the Southbridge Community.

Girls of Purpose, Inc. is worthy of your partnership as they make a difference in the Pooler Community today and well into our future.

In closing, Ramos reflected on the following belief, “God cares about everything concerning girls of purpose and what he has called us to do in this community.”

To learn more about Girls of Purpose, Inc., including how to enroll, volunteer, donate, and mentor, visit girlsofpurposeinc.org. ■

“There is a theme of health and wellness—self-care. We’re trying to help people find their best selves,” Sunny Clough states. Sunny is the owner of both Down Home CrossFit and Pooler Day Spa. The accomplished woman in business is a wife and mother of two little ones, so she appreciates the beauty of achieving a good balance in everyday life.

“When people take time to take care of themselves, it can feel like a selfish thing to do. They give and give to all the different avenues (family, job, education), but they never really give back to themselves … ‘You can’t pour from an empty cup.’ Having that good balance empowers them; then, they can be there for all the people they love. When we feel like we’re at our best, it’s motivating; it makes our lives better,” she says.

After being in the fitness industry for quite some time, Sunny opened the doors of Down Home CrossFit in March 2015. CrossFit’s High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has helped many people meet their fitness goals. The unique methodology has proved to be a successful type of physical training for countless individuals – firefighters, police officers, those serving in the military or just about anyone who appreciates a good, full-body workout.

Sunny, however, decided not to stop just in the fitness arena. She wholeheartedly believed that real selfcare encompassed so much more. Hence, she purchased Pooler Day Spa from its previous owner in January 2021.

“When that avenue opened up, we saw how well it correlated with the business we already had while allowing us to further our passion for helping people. It really fits well because the concept is so different – you have the gym with its loud music, weights and [workouts], and then you have the spa with its peacefulness and relaxation. It all ties in well together with finding that balance,” she says.

Down Home CrossFit

Founded by Greg Glassman, CrossFit came on the scene over two decades ago. Glassman wanted to find more effective alternatives to traditional fitness methods. CrossFit incorporated principles from various fitness categories, including: HIIT cardio, Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, plyometrics, calisthenics and gymnastics (to name a few). The concept became popular with police officers, firefighters and the military due to the comprehensiveness of the workouts; the hard-working community leaders have found great reward in the overall conditioning.

“It has taken over the way they go about their fitness training. It is a successful way to train without being super taxing on the body. It helps individuals be functionally prepared to handle whatever they have to deal with on a daily basis,” Sunny states.

The Down Home Advantage

The Down Home family takes sincere pride in what they do; they constantly strive to support the unique fitness goals of their customers.

“Because we are truly a local, small mom-and-pop shop, you get a lot more individual attention versus the different franchises. You get a custom-tailored experience - authentic and hands-on. You’re part of a community,” Sunny says.

Most of Sunny’s coaches approached her about being a Down Home trainer after experiencing the benefits of CrossFit in their own lives. It is a testament to their commitment and love for what they do.

“The passion of our CrossFit coaches can’t be understated. They coach from the heart while helping others navigate the workouts. Most of them are in it because it changed their lives, and they want to give back. They believe in the method, the community and the workouts,” she says.

You Can Do It

There are many myths regarding CrossFit, namely the belief that an individual has to be very physically fit in order to endure a workout. The conditioning can be challenging. But, hey, it is a workout. The supportive team, however, is there every step of the way to help individuals gain comfortability and find the best pace for themselves.

The beauty of CrossFit is its flexibility and individual approach; workouts can be made as hard or as moderate as possible. Each workout typically lasts about an hour, which includes a warm up.

“You can do the classes at your own pace. The coaches help you through it. There is truly a good starting point for everybody. Just come in. Majority of CrossFitters had no experience when they first started. They were nervous and felt uncoordinated. If you have never lifted a weight or if you feel that you don’t know what you’re doing, that is okay! You are the person CrossFit was made for. You do have it within you to do something that’s successful,” Sunny states.

Pooler Day Spa

Sunny takes pride in the team of professionals at the spa. The ladies are passionate about what they do, while being knowledgeable about their craft. Each customer’s health and wellness is utterly important to them. Sunny appreciates the consistency of her staff, as they provide each customer with a unique experience.

“It’s about the people you meet the moment you walk in the door. It’s about the way you’re greeted by the front desk and by your provider. They are dedicated to the people that come in, and they love what they do. Their focus is always on you,” she remarks.

Pressing Pause

Almost anyone can appreciate the benefit of pressing the pause button on the busyness of life – taking a little time out for some much needed relaxation. Customers are thrilled to be able to leave the real world outside of the spa doors while they have their very own moment.