Regions Bank invests in AHN senior to spread 'Sparkle Power'

TAMPA — Academy of Holy Names senior Caitlin Shannon stood in a dimly-lit part of the dugout club at Steinbrenner Field on Dec. 8, hidden from the main conference area.

She held the handle of a red wagon full of Yankees merchandise along with other toys ranging from stuffed monkeys to Regions Piggy Banks — waiting to surprise those attending the meeting.

Stephanie Stanfield, area wealth coordinator for the Regions Bank and wealth management team had gathered bank employees without advance word on who they would be helping, but she had already been enthralled with Caitlin's story.

Stanfield witnessed a local television report about Caitlin and how the student created and delivered goodie bags to children in various hospitals.

"This clip came on the news and it was of a young girl (Caitlin) and I literally started taking pictures of my television because this young girl was telling her story of when she was sick," Stanfield said. "It was just fate because I remember thinking this is exactly what we wanted to do. We need to support her cause."

Caitlin started her nonprofit, Sparkle Power Inc., at the age of 15 after enduring nerve damage after doctors removed her gall bladder and appendix. The goodie bag give-aways to children in the hospital with long-term illnesses has earned Caitlin an appearance on Harry Connick Jr.'s nationally-syndicated TV talk show, and it helped her earn the distinction of being a Young Woman of Promise by the Athena Society earlier this year.

"I was so excited when I was first approached about this," Caitlin said, "I couldn't believe such an amazing company wanted to reach out to me. It's really cool to see how the charity has reached different people."

For Stanfield, this was more than just another community outreach project she organizes for every quarterly meeting. After losing her mom to cancer over the holidays last year, she kept in mind the one time someone brought her mom a goodie bag during that difficult period and how it helped brighten her day.

Caitlin and Stanfield joined forces to make an estimated 150 goodie bags to be delivered closer to Christmas to local hospitals. The Regions employees, aka Shannon's elves, donned Santa hats and listened to the same story Stanfield was touched by a month ago.

With the reveal of the team's community outreach at their quarterly meeting, Shannon wheeled out her supplies and introduced herself to her helpers. With that, the dugout club made a quick transition to Sparkle Power's workshop and the entire team of elves began their work putting together goodie bags for children of different age ranges.

The elves call out to the rest of team for colored pencils or Yankees lunch boxes as needed and filled the dark-colored rectangular bags lining the table. With Shannon leading the way, they filled the decorated bags with goodies and readied them for delivery.

Though the team's delivery date will be close to Shannon's end of the semester exam times, she is looking forward to delivering with the group to different hospitals.