Students raise funds for family in need

Two Laguna Beach High School students proved the theory that each

individual can make a difference.

Junior Adison Doud and senior Trey Phillips were the impetus for

the raising of $2,333 to help a San Diego family devastated by the

wildfires this fall.

“Both Adison and Trey are awesome kids,” said Laguna Beach High

School community service facilitator Chris Krach. “Adison was in my

office the second day of the fires and said we have to do something

now. She never missed a beat and is probably responsible for raising

75% of the proceeds.”

Their community service club called Interact presented the idea of

raising money to the whole school.

“We had a contest to see what club could raise the most money,”

Adison said.” All the different clubs in school participated. We

planned it right away -- it started on Nov. 3, and it ended on Nov.

17.”

They worked with Fred Sharman through the Laguna Resource Center

to match them with a family.

“We had a lot more success than we could have ever imagined,”

Adison said. “Everyone put out full force effort -- collecting money

at football games at lunch -- people got into it.”

Because of the fires that devastated Laguna Beach 10 years ago,

Trey and Adison said, everyone could relate and was generous.

“There’s nothing like a competition to raise spirit and keep

people involved,” Trey said. “My club, People’s Awareness Group -- a

couple of people and I founded it -- it’s one of the most active

clubs on campus.”

They raised $750, Trey said, through the efforts of the club’s

board, which includes Laura Fryer, Lauren Polster, Jonothan Bernard

and himself.

“Every club would be designated a day to go to lunch and collect

money,” Trey said. “We had to stay within the school vicinity, and we

collected money at the football games, too. So with that, everybody

pitched in, some clubs more than others.”

He said that when they told the students what the fundraising was

about, the students really felt for the victims and were quite

giving.

“It’s such a feeling of humanity -- people helping each other

out,” Trey said.

The club is going to give the money to one family so it will have

more of an effect. It was hard to decide which family to give to.

“We are going to give the money on Sunday,” Adison said. “She’s a

single mother who always puts her children before herself and took a

leading role in coming to the aid of others, her neighbors, during

the fires.”

She has five children, ages 13 to 23, and also cares for a

4-year-old grandchild. There were many negative factors in her life

that made her the best candidate.

In addition to the money, Adison and Trey are going holiday

shopping to buy each of them a gift.

“I was really impressed how much people wanted to give every day,”

Adison said. They never hesitated.”