Sgt. Jessica Forester, U.S. ArmyCecilia Forester was named Queen of the Holiday Ball Friday night, Dec. 9, at the Harry Potter Magical Holiday Ball at Barnes & Noble at Hamilton Place.
The surprise was arranged as an early birthday gift by her older sister, Sgt. Jessica Forester, who is deployed to the Middle East with the U.S. Army.
Cecilia will turn 12 years old on Friday, Dec. 16.
Kelly Flemings, community business development manager at the Hamilton Place store, said Sgt. Forester contacted him last month to arrange the surprise. Once Cecilia was named the Queen of the Holiday Ball, a member of the Dance Tonight Chattanooga company accompanied her in a spotlight dance.
In an email to Flemings, Sgt. Forester said Cecilia did not enjoy reading until their brother introduced her to the Harry Potter series, "and she soon fell in love with not only reading but the series and all the characters."
In addition to sending Cecilia a special invitation to the ball, Sgt. Forester videotaped a birthday message from Kuwait to be played for her sister at the ball.
"My sister and I are very close, and I know it would be the cherry on top of a perfect night," she told Flemings in her email.