A pair of Laguna Beach brothers have teamed up to market a Christmas ornament resembling Main Beach Lifeguard Tower this holiday season.
Jackson Collins, 15, and Sawyer Collins, 12, initially ordered 500 of the four-inch-tall ornaments of the iconic white sentinel. So far, they’ve sold nearly 1,200 units.
A draftsman helped the brothers measure the historic lifeguard tower before they worked with a factory to design and build a prototype ornament. They’ve donated $1 from the $29.95 sale of each ornament to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center.
Growing up in Laguna Beach, Jackson and Sawyer have visited the PMMC on school field trips, helped raise money for the nonprofit, and attended releases of seals and sea lions.
On Monday, they met PMMC CEO Peter Chang and Debbie Finster, vice president of philanthropy, and other PMMC staffers to present them with a $1,191 check. The nonprofit is in the middle of a major fundraising campaign to commemorate its 50th anniversary.
“Jackson and Sawyer’s desire to want to incorporate a way of giving back into their business model is both impressive and refreshing. After meeting them, it’s apparent that these two are only going to continue to do great things as they get older,” Chang said in a statement.
Bushard’s Pharmacy, Roger’s Gardens, Good Together House, Haven, and Twig were among the retailers who purchased ornaments for their customers, the boys’ father Clark Collins said. The ornaments can also be ordered at iconicornaments.com.
Over their holiday break, the brothers will be mulling other Southern California iconic landmarks that will also make ideal ornaments. Hasty Honarkar, vice president of the Laguna Beach Co., enjoyed the lifeguard tower ornament so much that she’s suggested Hotel Laguna’s bell tower and sign for a future ornament that could be on shelves by next year.
“I love seeing their young entrepreneurial spirit and think it’s such a positive reflection of our community,” Honarkar said.
