Students go shopping for service ops

Lindsay Sandham

More than 60 Orange County charities set up shop at South Coast Plaza

Sunday as part of the Festival of Children Foundation’s 3rd annual

Volunteer Day.

The event is designed to help high school students complete the 40

hours of community service many of them need to graduate.

“Teens can shop around the different charities and see what

appeals to them,” said Cherie Rolapp Khan, executive director of

marketing and public relations for the Festival of Children

Foundation. “We’re trying to engage the teenagers in our community so

they can really make a difference.”

The foundation’s founder, Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, said Festival

of Children is an umbrella organization that supports other charities

that work with children.

The event was successful, Khan said, with more than 2,000 people

signing up to volunteer.

Project Cuddle, an organization that helps prevent baby

abandonment, was among the most popular booths, with about 50 high

school students -- and some parents -- signing on to help raise money

or answer hotline calls.

“As our teens stop by, I’m also trying to educate them about our

services,” said hotline coordinator Kecia Van Mechelan.

She added that Project Cuddle has only one-and-a-half paid staff

members, so an event like Volunteer Day really helps them recruit.

Luvina Ruiz, 15, a student from Saddleback High School, said she

heard about Volunteer Day at school and wanted to see what kind of

options were out there for her to complete the mandatory service

hours.

She will be taking home a stack of fliers and brochures to sift

through, but she said her choices are narrowed down to three.

“I just might do all of them,” she said.

The event also featured three speakers, including keynote speaker

Jesse Billauer, founder of the Life Rolls On Foundation.

Billauer inspired and motivated kids and parents alike, Khan said,

with his speech about making the best of life’s challenges. The

26-year-old founded Life Rolls On after suffering a spinal-cord

injury at 17, which ended his professional surfing career.

College counselor Katie Konrad, and longtime teacher and

administrator Jim Beirne, also addressed the audience with helpful

tips on writing college admission essays and on what makes potential

students appealing to college and university admissions counselors.

* LINDSAY SANDHAM is the news assistant. She can be reached at

(714) 966-4625 or [email protected].