Amalia “Alma” Gohn is the founder and President of the Follow the Dream Beauty Pageant Scholarship, Inc.
Alma Gohn’s story began in the Philippines. She moved to the United States in 1983. Like so many other people have done since the early 1700’s, she came to America because of the opportunity and the freedom. While she is proud of her country of origin and its customs, faith and heritage, Alma Gohn came here because she believes the American founding fathers truly created an exceptional country. Planning to become an American citizen, Alma is already an “American by Choice” who like other immigrants sacrificed much to come to her new, adopted country.
While she believes she is no different and no better than many other immigrants who made a decision to come to America and work hard to find success, she also decided she wanted to own her own business to better pursue the American dream. She recognized that in service to others as the owner of a business, and in making others happy and satisfied, she could also reach for and achieve her own success. To Alma, reaching your own success because you have helped others, is the very essence of being an American.
To better pursue her dreams, in 1987 Alma Gohn attended the Harrison School of Cosmetology in Harrison, Arkansas. In 1989 she established her first business, Ozark Styling Boutique in Arkansas, her new home in the United States.
In 1995 Alma married Ronald L. Gohn, who was then a Police Officer and they relocated to the East Coast. In 1999 Alma established her “Amalia’s Beauty Boutique” in Red Lion, PA. Although inner beauty far more defines who we are in Alma’s opinion, ladies ought to also put some care and attention and take pride in their appearance, striving to take what God gave us as His gift to us, and make it better inside and out, as our gift back to God.
As the proprietor of the Amalia Beauty Boutique business in Red Lion, PA, Alma has found some measure of success – where she contributes something useful and helpful to her community and to those seeking to make improve themselves. Of course, being a business owner she continues to always be focused on seeking out new customers while making her current clientele happy with her good service. This is a challenge she is meeting cheerfully.
A fashion show pageant held in front of her beauty salon in 2011, gave her the idea that she can come up with a more formal event. Thus, the simple fashion show event in Red Lion, gave birth to the Follow The Dream Beauty Scholarship Pageant project, with major events held at Wyndham Garden, York PA in 2012 and 2015 as well as the opportunity to showcase what they have learned in a regular performance at the Red Lion Annual Street Fair every August.
Because of the degree of success she has reached with her Amalia Beauty Boutique business in Red Lion, Alma Gohn had the credibility and the finances to take the lead in forming the “Follow the Dream Beauty Pageant Scholarship Inc.” in order to focus more attention on helping young people improve their lives and build their a better future with increased chances of success and happiness.
Now a major focus for Alma is finding others who by their accomplishments in life have earned some degree of credibility within the community and some measure of financial success to enable them to join her in promoting their own example to young people.
Alma’s goal with her “Follow the Dream” Foundation, recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt, 501/c/4 Foundation, is to help persuade more people that when you have a dream or goal, when you work to achieve it, then you are motivated to help others too, and you find success and happiness for yourself in so doing.
“I know it sounds strange to some young people but in being selfless and self-sacrificing to help other people,” says Alma, “you not only feel better every day, but you are then more successful in reaching your own goals. You also attract to yourself other good, like-minded people.”
It all begins with the dream, the goal, the purpose,” says Alma. “That’s why I work with other volunteers and contributors with this non-profit organization and what motivates me to seek out more support we need to reach more people. We need to share our enthusiasm, especially with young people – and show them how they can be successful in life by having a dream and helping others with service.”
(for those who are blessed with some degree of success and who may wish to share their example with the next generation you are encouraged to write directly to Alma at: Chairman@FollowTheDream.org)