Students Step Up to Halt Child Slavery
Cho’s Academy fifth annual youth awards banquet and fundraiser recognized academy students for their martial arts and academic achievements in 2014.
Nearly $3000 was raised by the academy’s Youth Outreach Initative, which was started last year by studio founder Jacob Cho to give his students an opportunity to give back and realize that they can make a difference.
The team of Conor Farley, Brayden Jenson, Katy Kellenberg and Sean Dolan, ranging in age from 11 to 14, researched charities and voted to support Operation Underground Railroad, which fights child trafficking and rescues children from child slavery. The students solicited donations from the community and Cho hosted an on-line auction of items donated by local artists and merchants.
The banquet was held in November at Mozambique Restaurant.
Boys Who Care Surpass Their Goal
Ten Boys Who Care, the group of Thurston eighth graders who raise money for scholarships for Laguna Beach High School students, passed their goal of raising $2,500 for their Sportsmanship Scholarships to be awarded this June.
Despite rain, the community turned out for a yard sale to help the boys’ cause, said Dominic Droulez, a graduating LBHS senior and this year’s high school advisor for the 10 Boys Who Care.
Painting curbs, playing music on Hospitality night, washing cars, selling used sports gear, helping neighbors with chores plus the annual yard sale all contribute to their goal.
“We have some more ways to raise money this year,” said fundraising co-chairman Sam Reynolds.
“So, maybe we will make enough to give away a third good sportsmanship scholarship like we did last year,” said co-chair Kent Cebreros.
Restaurants Serve Up A Healthy Check for Marine Mammal Rescue
Pacific Edge Hotel’s restaurant patrons raised $10,000 to benefit the Pacific Marine Mammal Center at a recent beer and oyster fundraiser.
Director of Restaurant Operations John Nye and Executive Chef Rainer Schwarz presented a check to the rescue center during a release of a now-healthy sea lion in Crescent Bay this past Tuesday, Jan. 27.
The donation will be used to provide food, medicine and transportation for marine mammals in need of medical attention and to pay staff. The center is again seeing an upswing in the number of malnourished sea lions needing rescue. Fourteen have been taken in this month, while last year in January only two rescues were made.
Holiday Gala Pushes Hospital Closer to Fundraising Goal
The Mission Hospital Holiday Gala surpassed all previous records by raising net proceeds of more than $1.35 million to support the hospital’s greatest needs. The success of the event brings Mission Hospital even closer to completing a $200 million comprehensive campaign. To date, more than $194 million has been raised.
The Nolet family served as the title sponsor and the holiday gala chairs were Margarita and Tom Solazzo.
Miocean Fund Local Improvements
A water diversion culvert installed on ocean-front Gaviota Drive was partly underwritten by a $50,000 check from the Miocean Foundation, says the city manager’s weekly update.
Miocean, based in Irvine, targets pollution-reducing coastline projects and to date its efforts have diverted 1.2 million gallons a day of polluted water from the coastline.