By: Jason Sheppard
They’re a bit punk, highly captivating and they have a tremendous amount of heart.
====
Nancy Doll and Leon House have only known each other for less than six months but together they have developed a friendship based on a number of interests; a love of artistic expression, classic cars, an appreciation for 50’s style and giving back to their community.
Birth of Rebel Dolls
Nancy Doll is the founder of Rebel Dolls, which started two years ago. She explains the name of her group originated from a friend of hers who passed away.
“This friend used to call me a “doll” because it takes me forever to get ready,” she tells The Herald with a laugh. “I wanted to add “rebel” in there because I felt the girls were really pin-up girls – we have a bit more punk to us, we wear fishnets and wanted to add a little sex appeal.”
Initially, the group which now has seven members – Nancy, Hayley, Lynda, Jodi, Chelsea, Sara and Leanna – consisted of a couple of girls who got together and went to car shows to just “have a bit of fun.”
Nancy recalls when attending those shows they began receiving a bit of attention from attendees and explains things just kind of went from there.
“We attended different shows after organizations started asking us to take part. Then we started helping out with any fundraising they did as well.”
After appearing at a few events during the first half of 2019, the Rebel Dolls connected with Leon House of Wheels For Wishes, an organization composed of local car lovers and enthusiasts who raise money to grant wishes for children in honour of Legacy wish granter and car lover Brad Smith.
Calendar Girls
Once House met with Nancy for coffee one day last summer, he knew right away she was the right person to team up with as they clicked right then and there. “We have different interests in life but once we met and started chatting about how involved he was in the community and granting children’s wishes and making magic for kids, I was sold,” she remembers.
It wasn’t long during their meeting when they both decided on an interesting idea to raise money – one that would stay uniquely expressive to their shared love of 50s cool.
Their idea was to create a calendar. Nancy went away with her idea of what she wanted the calendar to be, and House went away with his idea of what he wanted. When they put their ideas together they were almost exactly alike. Their goal was to create and sell a calendar to help raise $10,000 to grant wishes. Once they agreed on the idea and concept of what they wanted the calendar to be, Nancy got her Dolls together.
“I dressed up myself in my little pin-up outfit and called my friend and gave her a couple of my dresses to pick from and off we went,” Nancy recalls, remembering how quickly the idea caught on.
Combining beautiful girls with classic cars mixed with true-to-self personal expression proved a winner for Nancy and House. Their passions, not to mention hearts, were both in the same place.
Blazing their mark
Nancy explains why giving back is so important to them.
“Most of the Rebel Dolls have been through something in their lives and that I think is what brings most of us together. Some have lost someone very close to us and we want to give back for that person on their behalf.”
Nancy believes that blazing their mark is important as every Doll has a story. “We have our own personal little legacies in our mind and we especially like to encourage younger girls to be happy as they are. We have a lot of younger girls that look up to us.”
Nancy and House say they work so well together because they’re encouraging of each other’s vision.
“If I give Nancy an idea she’ll run with it and if she has an idea then we’ll run with it,” he explains of their working process. “And there’s nothing too far out of reach with this partnership.”
They insist they were brought together to make the impossible possible and that’s why this calendar is especially meaningful.
“This is a partnership,” House insists. One where Rebel Dolls and the Wheels For Wishes crew become philanthropists throughout the community.
“It doesn’t matter what your background is,” Nancy insists, believing it doesn’t matter where you come from or whether you’re rich or poor. “You can make a difference if you choose to do so and that’s a beautiful feeling.”
For more information on Rebel Dolls events and their calenders visit @NlRebelDolls on Facebook and Instagram.