tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74069194380290326292024-03-18T21:51:53.803-07:00Festival of Children FoundationImproving the lives of children by strengthening the charities that serve them.Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11759904766802597343noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-64279678740492497702014-12-12T11:58:00.002-08:002014-12-16T15:20:23.579-08:00Sharing the Spirit Holiday Parties bring Christmas to homeless youth <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homeless youths, ages 3-18 from Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove and Santa Ana<br />
enjoyed a Christmas party organized just for them at South Coast Plaza. <br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Festival of Children Foundation and The Happiness Project hosted the Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party for more than 500 underprivileged children at South Coast Plaza on December 5th. The party took place at 9pm after the shopping center closed to regular business. Homeless youths ages 3-18 from Orange County shelters and motels were brought to South Coast Plaza on buses. Upon arrival the children were matched with a volunteer who guided them through holiday activities, including photos with Santa Claus, reindeer carousel rides, arts and crafts, beauty stations and face painting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The kids frosted and decorated cookies, girls had their nails painted, boys built small Lego models provided by the Lego store, and the Puzzle Zoo store offered crafts. Sanrio's Hello Kitty mascot was working the crowd along with Chick-fil-A's cow mascot. The children enjoyed food provided by Chick-fil-A and Wahoo's Fish Taco, and at the end of the evening, each child received an age and gender appropriate gift bag full of toys and school supplies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Bright and early on Christmas Eve, the Costa Mesa-based Festival of Children Foundation staff will head up to the Los Angeles Mission to set up a huge tent for the kids of Skid Row families. After the families enjoy the annual Christmas meal presented by the Mission, and prepared by celebrity chef Ben Ford (actor Harrison Ford's son), the children are invited to enter the Festival of Children Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party tent where they will experience a winter wonderland, visit with Santa, and leave with a toy donated by JAKKS Pacific. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">"It gives us the opportunity to share ourselves directly with the children who attend. We try and create a little magic for them, but we are as much touched by the magic as they are," said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of Festival of Children Foundation.</span></div>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-85935296608757475692014-12-02T15:32:00.003-08:002014-12-02T15:33:36.736-08:00Carousel of Possible Dreams has raised nearly $2 million for more than 50 nonprofits nationwide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">Carousel of Possible Dreams continues<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 18.0pt;">to spin gold for youth-focused charities</span></b></div>
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<b><i>Festival of Children Foundation’s
innovative fundraising vehicle <o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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<b><i>has raised nearly $2 million for
more than 50 nonprofits nationwide<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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An innovative
fundraising vehicle for youth-focused charities continues to move around and
around and around, spinning gold in life-changing ways for nonprofit
organizations in 50 states.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The
Carousel of Possible Dreams, launched five years ago by the Costa Mesa-based
Festival of Children Foundation, has raised more than $1.85 million for 50-plus
charities involved in causes ranging from autism to the homeless to Down
syndrome.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And all
that money has been raised through one of childhood’s joyful and magical
activities: riding a carousel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The
latest fund-raiser, on the King Arthur Carrousel at the Disneyland Resort in
Anaheim on Nov. 5, raised more than $246,000 for 10 Orange County nonprofits
that serve children. Riders got pledges before the event with the promise of
completing 50 revolutions on the carousel. On the day of the event, they had a
chance to make calls for more donations between rides.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Today,
we just ended homelessness for 32 kids --- just in time for the holidays,” said
Jennifer Friend, chief executive officer of Project Hope Alliance in Costa
Mesa, as she watched riders take spins in Fantasyland before Disneyland opened
to the public.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“This is
really powerful,” Friend said of the Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The
Nov. 5 event, the second to be held at Disneyland in as many years, raised about
$52,000 for Project Hope Alliance, whose mission is to end the cycle of homelessness
through educating children in partnership with schools and by moving homeless
families out of motels and shelters into affordable homes of their own.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, a
leading business professional and children’s advocate in Orange County, the
latest Carousel of Possible Dreams --- the 12<sup>th</sup> to be held since
2009, at such venues as Central Park in New York City and the Eden Palais, a
spectacular 19<sup>th</sup>-Century European Salon Carousel housed at the
private Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, Ill. --- underscored the success
of the foundation she founded in 2003.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“The
Carousel of Possible Dreams has opened up a whole new donor base that has
allowed charities to tap into donors who can’t afford tickets to fancy galas,”
said Daniels, whose family developed the world-famous South Coast Plaza
shopping destination and brought culture to central Orange County with the
Segerstrom Center for the Arts and other acclaimed performance venues. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Daniels, who has a grown daughter, created
Festival of Children Foundation after she recognized the need to bring together
a variety of youth-focused nonprofits so they could better collaborate and
achieve their different missions and goals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Foundation, whose logo is ---
what else? A colorful carousel --- provides
programs and services to its 500-plus member charities in 50 states, helping
corporations and individuals<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span>find opportunities where their support
can make the most impact in the areas of arts and culture, social services,
health and wellness, education and development, and the environment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“What’s
been really rewarding is watching people get together every year and
collaborate together,” said Eileen Daniher, director of programs for Festival
of Children Foundation. “We didn’t know when we started back in 2003 what we’d
become, but we are very gratified with what we’ve been able to achieve thus
far.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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A longtime advocate for children,
Daniels personally covers administrative costs of her registered 501(c)(3)
organization so 100 percent of the charity’s proceeds directly benefit programs
and services that improve the lives of children.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The recent Carousel of Possible
Dreams fundraiser at Disneyland was the third and last such event this year.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On Aug. 23, at the Sanfilippo Estate
outside of Chicago, riders raised $201,421 for three organizations: Ronald
McDonald House Charities Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, and Little Angels.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Daniels herself rode on the famous Eden
Palais, smashing her fundraising goal of $2,500 by raising $11,596. Little
Angels raised a total of $62,416.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Aug. 23 event was the third in
which the Ronald McDonald House Charities Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana
has been a recipient, CEO Doug Porter said. The carousel rides have raised a
total of about $400,000 in those three years, Porter said --- money that went
toward a new Ronald McDonald House in downtown Chicago and toward a fifth house
scheduled to open in January 2015.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I think it’s a very unique
fundraising vehicle, and the riders just love it,” Porter said. “For me, it
provides one of the few opportunities I have to engage in peer-to-peer
fundraising in which I reach out to my own network of friends who do not have
to be physically present at some event to help support a very worthy cause.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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On Sept. 30, one charity ---
Friends of Cathryn, in Laguna Beach --- was the sole recipient of more than
$600,000 raised by riders on the carousel inside South Coast Plaza.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Friends of Cathryn is named after
neuroblastoma survivor Cathryn Giusto, 11, a fifth-grader at El Morro
Elementary School in the Laguna Beach School District who was diagnosed with
the cancer in November 2008.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Susan Giusto, Cathryn’s mother, launched
the charity in 2009 with the mission of achieving new approaches to
neuroblastoma treatment and broader support for kids who come down with the
disease.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Giusto met with Daniels in April
2014 and was shocked when Daniels told her that all of the proceeds from the
Sept. 30 Carousel of Possible Dreams would benefit Friends of Cathryn.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I was blown away,” Giusto said. “Sandy
gave us this amazing opportunity and we are forever grateful to her and
Festival of Children Foundation,” said Giusto, whose daughter’s prognosis is
good. “I felt incredible personal satisfaction at being able to raise this
money and help bring some sanity to the world of childhood cancer.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cassady Taylor, executive director
of marketing and public relations for Festival of Children Foundation, recalls
recruiting people on the day of the first Carousel of Possible Dreams in early
2009 to raise funds.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“In 90 minutes, we raised $85,000,”
Taylor said, noting that the funds raised at that debut event were more than
enough to cover a shortfall of $80,000 in a $300,000 campaign that began in the
holiday season of 2008 for 10 charities that competed with many more to have
their “possible dream” realized.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Carousel of Possible Dreams has
been successfully spinning success stories for children’s charities ever since.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Moving forward, the plan is to hold
two Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraisers each year, Daniels said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At the Nov. 5 event at Disneyland,
the wizard Merlin got the action going at 7 a.m. --- three hours before the
theme park opened to the public.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Can you feel the magic in the
air?” Merlin said as he rallied the troops. “Stop staring at me. Move it.
There’s money to be raised.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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One of the riders at the Disneyland
fundraiser was actor John Schaech, whose big-screen credits include a leading
role in “That Thing You Do!,” the 1995 film that marked the writing and
directing of debut of beloved Hollywood actor Tom Hanks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Said Schaech, who secured pledges
totaling about $3,000 for his carousel ride: “I love the ‘dream’ aspect of this
fundraiser, and what better place to create magic and help children than the
Happiest Place on Earth?”<o:p></o:p></div>
Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-45786893992717894202014-11-12T15:45:00.000-08:002014-11-12T15:46:02.630-08:00Carousel of Possible Dreams spins gold for children's charities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suzy Haner, a coordinator in the Commercial Music Program at Orange County School of the Arts was The Carousel of Possible Dreams top fundraiser, raising $21,375 for the school. OCSA was one of 10 Orange County non-profits that participated in the early morning fundraiser held on the King Arthur Carrousel at Disneyland park.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Festival of Children Foundation invited 10 Orange County children's charities to form teams of volunteer riders to go round and round and up and down on Disneyland park's King Arthur Carrousel to raise money in support of their organization.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Riders solicited donations online for weeks leading up to the event, and finished their fundraising efforts by completing 50 revolutions on the carousel. The innovative fundraiser, called The Carousel of Possible Dreams, took place on November 5th and raised $246,195 for these 10 youth-focused organizations:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Boys & Girls Club of Anaheim</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Child Guidance Center</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Down Syndrome Association of Orange County</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Festival of Children Foundation</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Girl Scouts of Orange County</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Orange Children & Parents Together</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Orange County School of the Arts</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Project Hope Alliance</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Talk About Curing Autism (TACA)</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Suzy Haner, a coordinator in the Commercial Music Program at Orange County School of the Arts was the top fundraiser raising $21,375 for the school. She won a weekend stay at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and four Disneyland Resort Park Hopper tickets, compliments of Disneyland Resort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"We are honored to host this program, which aligns with our focus on promoting the happiness and well-being of kids and families," added Jill Bolton, Director of Corporate Citizenship for Disneyland Resort. </span></div>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-58322571619879441172014-10-27T13:13:00.000-07:002014-10-27T13:15:21.248-07:00We're returning to Disneyland!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8IznwzlYZmauqQqfslsxtSMSy01aRKS2sPPnLQCUHDopkBcHWM9TK3YKMcggauy6wMLf5opATZywrPf_jOJOMXh-9n-65nxf1fC6Gcr3CHFR9W8xmD6awVCc5eMczjV7WI7hsnw8nqS3/s1600/Carousel_of_Possible_Dreams_015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv8IznwzlYZmauqQqfslsxtSMSy01aRKS2sPPnLQCUHDopkBcHWM9TK3YKMcggauy6wMLf5opATZywrPf_jOJOMXh-9n-65nxf1fC6Gcr3CHFR9W8xmD6awVCc5eMczjV7WI7hsnw8nqS3/s1600/Carousel_of_Possible_Dreams_015.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Carousel of Possible Dreams returns to Disneyland park's King Arthur Carrousel on Wednesday, November 5th <br />
to raise money for 10 youth serving organizations in Orange County.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">King Arthur Carrousel at Disneyland park will serve as a spectacular backdrop for Festival of Children Foundation's signature fundraiser we call 'The Carousel of Possible Dreams.' </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The early morning event will take place before Disneyland park opens to the general public and benefit 10 Orange County nonprofits that serve children:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Boys & Girls Club of Anaheim</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Child Guidance Center</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Down Syndrome Association of Orange County</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Festival of Children Foundation</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Girl Scouts of Orange County</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Healthy Smiles for Kids of Orange County</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Orange Children & Parents Together</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Orange County School of the Arts</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each organization has assembled a team of riders, ready to take the reins and raise money for their organization. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Riders are currently soliciting donations online at <a href="http://www.festivalofchildren.org/disneyland2014">www.festivalofchildren.org/disneyland2014</a>. On November 5th, they'll continue to make calls for donations between revolutions on the carousel, with the hopes of meeting or exceeding their goal. </span><span style="font-size: large;">100% of the money the riders raise will go directly to the nonprofit organizations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The rider who raises the most money by 5:00 p.m. the night before the event will win a weekend stay at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and four Disneyland Resort Park Hopper tickets compliments of the Disneyland Resort!</span></div>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-35089495468856488312014-10-10T12:06:00.000-07:002014-10-10T12:06:07.792-07:00Carousel of Possible Dreams raises $605,100 for neuroblastoma cancer research<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9XXT5NFTK3r3Jzyn_0e9e1vdZGMpAkoJyVd-a8K36YyHrjDegxEWkxbb6E8OYQIgBEwGTgCmmyFldmXuvEUn_nS0PdXIvZMTzyWrQTUa32hMfnPfUHpGMShR5TZV2hcKL8twLEPEgLF0/s1600/Cathryn+Giusto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE9XXT5NFTK3r3Jzyn_0e9e1vdZGMpAkoJyVd-a8K36YyHrjDegxEWkxbb6E8OYQIgBEwGTgCmmyFldmXuvEUn_nS0PdXIvZMTzyWrQTUa32hMfnPfUHpGMShR5TZV2hcKL8twLEPEgLF0/s1600/Cathryn+Giusto.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">11-year old Cathryn Giusto is a neuroblastoma survivor. Her mother, Susan Giusto, founded Friends of Cathryn Fund<br /> to support NANT: New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy.<br /><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Festival of Children Foundation is pleased to announce that The Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser benefiting Friends of Cathryn Fund (FRoC) has raised $605,100 for neuroblastoma cancer research. Friends of Cathryn Fund is a Laguna Beach-based organization that raises money for NANT, a network of 14 universities and children’s hospitals nationwide, that test promising new therapies for high-risk relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma, the third most common pediatric cancer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Friends of Cathryn Fund is named for 11-year old Cathryn Giusto, a neuroblastoma survivor who had just turned 5 when she was diagnosed with the disease. In 2010, she was cleared, and that’s when her mother Susan Giusto started the foundation. Susan’s goal was to raise $500,000 in support of NANT (New Approaches to Neuroblastoma Therapy). The Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser far exceeded her goal, thanks in part to a $250,000 grant generously provided by The V Foundation for Cancer Research. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">On Tuesday, September 30th nearly 150 people gathered in South Coast Plaza’s Carousel Court to celebrate. Guests included members of Cathryn Giusto’s Girl Scout troop. The Girl Scouts climbed aboard South Coast Plaza’s carousel and went round and round and up and down in celebration of the successful collaboration between Friends of Cathryn Fund and Festival of Children Foundation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“We’re honored to be donating over $600,000 for neuroblastoma research. This donation will help fund essential clinical trials to improve outcome. Festival of Children Foundation’s support was invaluable in making this happen for the hundreds of children diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year,” said Susan Giusto, founder of Friends of Cathryn Fund.</span></div>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-4490719302191564172014-09-24T13:48:00.000-07:002014-09-24T13:48:50.450-07:00NCAM Youth Ambassadors Unite in Washington, D.C.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Festival of Children Foundation founder Sandy Segerstrom Daniels <br />
poses for a picture with 50 NCAM Youth Ambassadors at this year's National Child Awareness Month <br />
Youth Ambassador training in Washington, D.C., held September 16-18, 2014.<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">In honor of September's National Child Awareness Month (NCAM), YSA (Youth Service America) and <a href="http://www.festivalofchildren.org/">Festival of Children Foundation</a> engaged 50 outstanding teens and young adults from across the nation to serve as NCAM Youth Ambassadors, leading service projects which will create positive change in the lives of other young people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The NCAM Youth Ambassadors receive a national-level platform for their cause or issue-area, with support from YSA and Festival of Children Foundation. In addition to funding this program, Festival of Children Foundation also provides each NCAM Youth Ambassador a $1,000 grant to support the development of a youth-focused service initiative; ongoing training, project and technical assistance support; and networking opportunities with other NCAM Youth Ambassadors across the country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">"These teens and young adults are the future of philanthropy. They understand the importance making a difference and giving back. Festival of Children Foundation's collaboration with YSA allows us to give these kids the tools to create a powerful youth network that will create lasting change across the country," said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of Festival of Children Foundation. </span></div>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-71215578126436510482014-08-18T16:38:00.002-07:002014-08-18T16:38:18.407-07:00September is once again designated as National Child Awareness Month by U.S. Senate!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Festival of Children Foundation is pleased to announce that the United States Senate has designated September 2014 as National Child Awareness Month (NCAM). Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) co-sponsored Senate Resolution 503, which passed by unanimous consent on July 16, 2014 designating September 2014 as National Child Awareness Month. September 2014 marks the 7th consecutive year for the designation.<br />
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"Nonprofits and charities in our local communities play a critical role in helping our children succeed. They help children learn, improve access to health care and aid in the development of skills needed to live happy, healthy lives. I'm pleased the Senate unanimously designated September as National Child Awareness Month to remind us that children are our future and we all play a role in helping them thrive," said Senator Dianne Feinstein.<br />
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The history behind the recognition of NCAM can be attributed to Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Founder & Executive Director of Festival of Children Foundation. Sandy has been diligent in raising awareness of issues facing youth across the country through the local, state and federal political processes. <br />
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NCAM is meant to raise awareness for all children's charities nationwide. The four guiding principles of <span style="color: red;">N</span><span style="color: orange;">C</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #6aa84f;">A</span><span style="color: #d5a6bd;">M</span> are:<br />
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<span style="color: red;">N</span>urture one child, that's all it takes to make a difference.<br />
<span style="color: orange;">C</span>hildren are the future of philanthropy. It's our responsibility to teach them the importance of sharing and giving back.<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">A</span>ctions speak louder than words. Find a children's charity that's important to you and get involved.<br />
<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">M</span>any hands make light work. So join forces with those who share your goals and dreams.<br />
Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-31952271942949760912014-08-14T16:25:00.000-07:002014-08-14T16:25:03.505-07:00Share That You Care Day is August 16th!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-63556688378120726032014-06-19T13:04:00.000-07:002014-06-19T13:04:07.610-07:0012,391 Letters = 12,391 Smiles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Festival of Children Foundation would like to thank Team Kids and the students at Vista Verde, a K-8 Blue Ribbon school in the Irvine Unified school district, for collaborating with us on our World Record attempt for "most letters to military personnel in one month." <br />
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Between April 12th and May 12th, 2014, we collected a total of 12,391 letters for our Guinness World Record attempt. The current record was 10,000, and our count is well over that. To make it official, we're submitting evidence to Guinness World Records in London, England, along with witness statements and details of our claim. <br />
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We hear it takes the folks at Guinness approximately 12 weeks to review and confirm a World Record. We'll announce that good news (fingers crossed!) here on our blog as soon as we hear back. In the meantime, it good to know that we put 12,391 smiles on our troops' faces!<br />
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-62676786533379161022014-05-02T12:19:00.001-07:002014-05-02T12:19:26.588-07:00Just days left to help us break a Guinness World Record!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke's "Letter from Home"</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luke Reeve takes pen to paper for "Letters from Home," a Festival of Children Foundation program designed to teach kids about philanthropy and put a smile on the faces of over 10,000 of our troops!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">On April 12th Festival of Children Foundation and Team Kids kicked off "Letters from Home," a month-long letter writing campaign for our troops, with the hope of breaking a Guinness World Record for "most letters to military personnel in one month."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4,397 letters have been received so far. 5,604 more letters are needed by May 12, 2014 in order to break the Guinness World Record! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Letters can be mailed to:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Festival of Children Foundation</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">3315 Fairview Road</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Costa Mesa, CA 92626</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Or written letters can be scanned and emailed to letters@festivalofchildren.org. To download a template, visit www.festivalofchildren.org/letters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">All letters received by May 12, 2014 will count toward the Guinness World Record!</span></div>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-69693840210512825862014-04-15T14:43:00.003-07:002014-04-15T14:43:31.541-07:00Festival of Children Foundation's Guinness World Record attempt with Team Kids has officially begun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Kids of all ages participated in opening day of "Letters from Home," a letter writing campaign designed to break a Guinness World Record for the "most letters to military personnel in one month." On Saturday, April 12th Festival of Children Foundation and Team Kids got together for an afternoon of letter writing at South Coast Plaza's Carousel Court. At the end of the day we collected 314 letters. We only have 9,687 to go!<br />
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If you'd like to participate in "Letters from Home" and be a part of our World Record endeavor,<br />
write a letter to the troops, and mail it to:<br />
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Festival of Children Foundation<br />
3315 Fairview Road<br />
Costa Mesa, CA 92626<br />
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All letters received by May 12, 2014 will count! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8-YD3vIUUoeTabDg1uGRtMbn6fHSjF5mhQVH30yMgAFCZ0rOD-vxqKxyBtvxvOeiR68mZN7TBQkQ741ynLcfVcmb8bu9AGRon5sE8RQYpYWyJs806_-ouTbA_6azkVS9wz2yCrsLRnHe/s1600/P1010920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8-YD3vIUUoeTabDg1uGRtMbn6fHSjF5mhQVH30yMgAFCZ0rOD-vxqKxyBtvxvOeiR68mZN7TBQkQ741ynLcfVcmb8bu9AGRon5sE8RQYpYWyJs806_-ouTbA_6azkVS9wz2yCrsLRnHe/s1600/P1010920.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Caroline, age 7, and sister Vivienne, age 2, from Whittier, CA, celebrated Global Youth Service Day <br />
by writing letters to the troops.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I4rsYyGBQXV3jE0lS8u_m_J4c1Q31h25N-bXGcoFCL1FCz9dzkdXvCC62AGA5suM6L68lN5cRzolM-zm_GdXfiFoAIjxW7ROY8VCafXZA3l6EiGw2Rf7ye9krfybzdDxRePL8d_bLG7S/s1600/P1010934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I4rsYyGBQXV3jE0lS8u_m_J4c1Q31h25N-bXGcoFCL1FCz9dzkdXvCC62AGA5suM6L68lN5cRzolM-zm_GdXfiFoAIjxW7ROY8VCafXZA3l6EiGw2Rf7ye9krfybzdDxRePL8d_bLG7S/s1600/P1010934.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-42753673640092096072014-03-17T16:36:00.001-07:002014-03-17T16:36:22.402-07:00Help Festival of Children Foundation & Team Kids set a World Record!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLdgAVkIcrl58T5WxZBnytaf0rSCGuWHJVXSchGhH7EzM-y8FmGG30MqZO2eKNTqTWX06zsZgcK3H_i1lXlxRdlVlMicS8WnMnPvQOp3psz9CpQVHvJEb3LYgbIV9J83ec1dFL63NCVt2/s1600/GYSD+2013+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLdgAVkIcrl58T5WxZBnytaf0rSCGuWHJVXSchGhH7EzM-y8FmGG30MqZO2eKNTqTWX06zsZgcK3H_i1lXlxRdlVlMicS8WnMnPvQOp3psz9CpQVHvJEb3LYgbIV9J83ec1dFL63NCVt2/s1600/GYSD+2013+008.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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In celebration of Global Youth Service Day, Festival of Children Foundation, Team Kids and Operation Gratitude are all collaborating on "Letters from Home," a letter writing campaign for American troops. We're planning on breaking the Guinness World Record for "most letters written to military personnel in one month." <br />
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The letter writing campaign will kick-off at South Coast Plaza on Saturday, April 12th from Noon until 4:00 p.m. Children and their families are invited to show up in Carousel Court where art supplies will be provided and military personnel will be in attendance. The goal is to collect over 10,000 letters in 30 days. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOCot4A6rC3_tBdSTaUzIT-smY2qTgwUfhnK2SiFr1NbXLB1yjOXb3vbN4Q27YP7dEZlhtlI26xrZT8SMUq45kiWam2TfVIYVz8msranrZ9gzGCc2K_zG46ufiFr76fUIuD_bgMqQpTtG/s1600/GYSD+2013+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOCot4A6rC3_tBdSTaUzIT-smY2qTgwUfhnK2SiFr1NbXLB1yjOXb3vbN4Q27YP7dEZlhtlI26xrZT8SMUq45kiWam2TfVIYVz8msranrZ9gzGCc2K_zG46ufiFr76fUIuD_bgMqQpTtG/s1600/GYSD+2013+024.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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Letters written from remote locations can be mailed to: <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Festival of Children Foundation </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Attn: "Letters from Home"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3315 Fairview Road</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Costa Mesa, CA 92626</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Letters written between April 12th and May 12th, 2014 will be counted as eligible for the world record. </span></div>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-52112931200886514822014-01-21T14:15:00.002-08:002014-01-21T14:15:16.170-08:00What are your New Year's resolutions for 2014?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Eq94OmdiwKScdRZR7R-aPGAQgPV5vw-V3INMKanhhAqlvysS7uDaTIuuN44Jl_TpH0XYPhVwZH5aGIVf8bobPMm-0H0f7P9UkSkACRL673J48so8A2ijDYj6J5ZdGwGe4MMsk4g4IXLr/s1600/P1010849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Eq94OmdiwKScdRZR7R-aPGAQgPV5vw-V3INMKanhhAqlvysS7uDaTIuuN44Jl_TpH0XYPhVwZH5aGIVf8bobPMm-0H0f7P9UkSkACRL673J48so8A2ijDYj6J5ZdGwGe4MMsk4g4IXLr/s1600/P1010849.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Assistance League Newport-Mesa is one of over 500 member organizations of Festival of Children Foundation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Hey, member organizations of Festival of Children Foundation! What are your New Year's resolutions for 2014? To raise more money? To work smarter? To build your board? To cultivate more donors? As part of Festival of Children Foundation's commitment to offering programs and resources to strengthen our member charities, we offer Achieve's webinars and online resource library free to staff, board members, and key volunteers in your organization.<br />
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Achieve, a creative agency for causes, offers an online resource library that holds more than 270+ tools and templates that will save your organization's hard-earned resources and time. <br />
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Need a template for grant writing? Achieve Access has it. <br />
Want some suggestions for sponsorship? Achieve Access has that too.<br />
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From webinars to white papers, Achieve Access has an unparalleled collection of resources. Visit our website at festivalofchildren.org to learn more. <br />
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Happy New Year!Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-26426167080422490722013-12-03T17:18:00.001-08:002013-12-03T17:18:22.658-08:00Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfahRwvy1f045uPZVXadwL7v1W3mWN0-Q0aMyWyU_JNGdtG6CxA02M1EwzVfiboQnycWKSeE-st_gocfXJcdSM9N6x6qMXw6bhhcHPS-sHd8nofxJpJTIBSdINWBfrUk3lzSxvKAMcydw/s1600/STHS+Party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfahRwvy1f045uPZVXadwL7v1W3mWN0-Q0aMyWyU_JNGdtG6CxA02M1EwzVfiboQnycWKSeE-st_gocfXJcdSM9N6x6qMXw6bhhcHPS-sHd8nofxJpJTIBSdINWBfrUk3lzSxvKAMcydw/s640/STHS+Party.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Festival of Children Foundation and The Happiness Project are bringing some holiday cheer to 600 underprivileged children at a Christmas Party being organized just for them on Friday, December 6th at South Coast Plaza.<br />
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The event, called "Sharing the Spirit Holiday Party," will take place in Santa's Village at South Coast Plaza from 9:00 p.m. until midnight (after the center closes to regular business). Homeless youth, ages 5-16, from Anaheim, Costa Mesa, Garden Grove and Santa Ana, California will be brought on buses to the shopping center. As each child departs the bus they'll be matched with a volunteer who will accompany them through a variety of activities including photos with Santa, rides on the reindeer carousel, arts and crafts, nail, hair and makeup stations, and face painting. They'll enjoy food generously donated by Aloha Plate (the recent winner of Food Network's Great Food Truck Race), Chick-Fil-A, Creme de la Creme, Quattro Caffe and whole Foods Market Newport Beach.<br />
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South Coast Plaza retailers are "Sharing the Spirit" too. Sanrio's Hello Kitty will help supervise their sand painting craft table. At LEGO, children can build a LEGO mini model to take home with them. Puzzle Zoo is providing craft projects for boys and girls, and Calico Critters' Bell Hopscotch rabbit will meet the kids in attendance.<br />
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Bare Minerals makeup artists will offer some holiday sparkle for the girls, and the Microsoft store will set up Xbox and Kinect stations. 400 volunteers will be on hand to ensure that the event is a success.<br />
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Festival of Children Foundation would like to thank the Center for Living Peace for helping to sponsor the "Sharing the Spirit" holiday party.Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-45832154637767939152013-11-19T16:03:00.000-08:002013-11-19T16:03:04.653-08:00Festival of Children Foundation raises $208,575 for Orange County Children's Charities<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTv0dciiuRQ0H4Ge7l0U8Eu-zmOK7l8-BqGSLlAesr-MP4m9yss8ZCh7mBmn98vMEqjnmH3UkDNp2iJtX8TQN5v3xmepQG4y8YI_wQfi15kh7PtbKVlY-dFF7xAwocXhtd13kqV2hO8Os/s1600/Carousel_of_Possible_Dreams_016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTv0dciiuRQ0H4Ge7l0U8Eu-zmOK7l8-BqGSLlAesr-MP4m9yss8ZCh7mBmn98vMEqjnmH3UkDNp2iJtX8TQN5v3xmepQG4y8YI_wQfi15kh7PtbKVlY-dFF7xAwocXhtd13kqV2hO8Os/s640/Carousel_of_Possible_Dreams_016.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Providence Speech and Hearing Center riders</b><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Festival of Children Foundation invited 10 Orange County nonprofit organizations to fund raise at a signature event we call "The Carousel of Possible Dreams." Over 100 attendees cheered volunteer riders as they went round and round, and up and down, on King Arthur's Carrousel at Disneyland Resort to raise money for their organizations.<br />
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The early morning event, held on November 6th at 7:00 a.m., raised $208,575. Funds raised will go directly to these 10 organizations:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>All American Boys Chorus</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>America on Track</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Orange County</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Festival of Children Foundation</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Girls Incorporated of Orange County</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Make-A-Wish Orange County & The Inland Empire</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Pacific Symphony</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Pretend City Children's Museum</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Providence Speech and Hearing Center</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Wyland Foundation</b></div>
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The Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser was held in celebration of Festival of Children Foundation's 10th Anniversary. "How fitting to host Carousel of Possible Dreams at the place where dreams come true every day," said Jill Bolton, director, Community Relations, Disneyland Resort. "We are honored to host this program, which aligns with our focus on promoting the happiness and well-being of kids and families." <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4PbVhfw15a8eOhzL4AhK0SakAx5Z597Njnc1L1KyxcrbxV3Hgs6P7iEeQH3IzbPCTsE1kV4VfEVdEpIHhFvvBou5OuDFhof-JLPuPKk2brKPRGv1PP22AQfd2yUpAvSNh-BxqA7p5nIr/s1600/Carousel_of_Possible_Dreams_095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy4PbVhfw15a8eOhzL4AhK0SakAx5Z597Njnc1L1KyxcrbxV3Hgs6P7iEeQH3IzbPCTsE1kV4VfEVdEpIHhFvvBou5OuDFhof-JLPuPKk2brKPRGv1PP22AQfd2yUpAvSNh-BxqA7p5nIr/s640/Carousel_of_Possible_Dreams_095.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Girls Inc. of Orange County volunteer riders</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-44097752440417431792013-10-16T17:45:00.000-07:002013-10-30T14:42:19.520-07:00We're going to Disneyland!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnMCGIOawISBGrf2uySTiyHNzmvpT2XqjFFINWWdNlWUyDeMJhyFaxvFgUF-Ycce8GwD57fT2lZyT_ldfNEZpuZXSwq4egQ_hyphenhyphenkVlPDgNjQflhlhzkhCOt6xO8DgI_a7Kk1nTXeBJUiei/s1600/KingArthurCarrousel+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" closure_lm_243706="null" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnMCGIOawISBGrf2uySTiyHNzmvpT2XqjFFINWWdNlWUyDeMJhyFaxvFgUF-Ycce8GwD57fT2lZyT_ldfNEZpuZXSwq4egQ_hyphenhyphenkVlPDgNjQflhlhzkhCOt6xO8DgI_a7Kk1nTXeBJUiei/s640/KingArthurCarrousel+pic.jpg" width="470" xsa="true" /></a></div>
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Festival of Children Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary at the happiest place on earth .... Disneyland. To help us celebrate, 10 children's charities will participate in The Carousel of Possible Dreams aboard <b> King Arthur's Carrousel</b> at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim on November 6th from 7-9am.<br />
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Participating charities include:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>All-American Boys Chorus</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>America on Track</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Orange County</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Festival of Children Foundation </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Girls Incorporated of Orange County</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Make-A-Wish Orange County & the Inland Empire</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Pacific Symphony</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Pretend City Children's Museum</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Providence Speech and Hearing Center</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Wyland Foundation</b></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Each of these nonprofit organizations has assembled a team of riders ready to take the reins and raise money for their charity's individual dreams. To learn more about what monies raised will support, or to make an online donation, we invite you to visit www.ridethecarousel.org </div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Festival of Children Foundation would like to thank the Disneyland Resort for making their magnificent King Arthur Carrousel available for our Possible Dream fundraiser. This is the first time Disneyland's Carrousel has been utilized as a vehicle to raise funds for 10 Orange County children's charities! </div>
Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-54337116759412806232013-10-04T12:43:00.000-07:002013-10-04T12:43:54.368-07:00Meet the National Child Awareness Month Youth Ambassadors!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXuZIXtgrFh4nC9HRtZ5Je-FTqATj1F5880QHIFd37JJOACqT99psz-mW6lgdz6LGhILaU45ENm94idazB7D6CZr5i_iALpH_Aj6l5MCtCrKCBvsOMbsfAiPZKdGu5fBoF7D_xqPfYWkCP/s400/YSA2013.jpg" width="400" xsa="true" /></div>
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Festival of Children Foundation has once again collaborated with YSA on the National Child Awareness Month Youth Ambassador Program. The year-long Ambassadorship trains youth (ages 16-22) to combat critical issues facing children. Each Ambassador receives support, advocacy training in Washington, D.C. and planning guidance for their respective service projects.<br />
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Fifty-one Youth Ambassadors were selected through a competitive application process, and selected, one per state and the District of Columbia, to create a powerful network of young people who raise their collective voice in service to others. <br />
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The Youth Ambassadors (shown above) each received an all-expense paid, 3-day leadership training in Washington, D.C. and a $1,000 grant to support their service projects in their own communities. "These teens and young adults are the future of philanthropy," said Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of Festival of Children Foundation.<br />
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The young leaders will spend the year ahead developing and leading cause-related service projects focused on children's issues in their respective communities. Their issue areas are diverse and specific to the community - from access to educational opportunities to addressing bullying - but their mission is shared: to create change which raises awareness and positively impacts the lives of young people! Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-9884930370276455972013-09-09T16:00:00.002-07:002013-09-09T17:15:51.331-07:00Shining a spotlight on children's charities during Festival of Children at South Coast Plaza!<br />
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Childhelp Orange County Chapter is just one of over 50 children's charities that will be on site during Festival of Children at South Coast Plaza this September. Every weekend in September, families can participate in more than 100 events and learn about child-focused charitable groups. <br />
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Activities include arts and crafts, singing and dance performances, and more. Visitors can also check out Canstruction OC's giant fantasy structures made entirely out of canned foods.<br />
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This September is special, as we also celebrate National Child Awareness Month (NCAM). NCAM is an effort led by Festival of Children Foundation to focus the attention of our nation on the most critical issues facing children today.<br />
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This month, and all year long, we're proud to shine a spotlight on children and the nonprofit organizations that serve them. <br />
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So make plans to bring the entire family to Festival of Children this month. All of the events are free to the public. For a schedule, visit <a href="http://www.festivalofchildren.org/">www.festivalofchildren.org</a>. <br />
<br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-45237176861840949292013-08-27T15:33:00.000-07:002013-08-27T15:33:42.318-07:00Carousel of Possible Dreams raises $150,309 for Chicago Kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Saturday, August 3rd, over 180 attendees (including Ronald McDonald!) climbed aboard a 19th Century French carousel to raise $150,309 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.<br />
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"It was a nice intersection of friend-raising, fundraising and people working together all at an unbelievable estate," said Doug Porter, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana (shown above with Sandy Segerstrom Daniels and you know who).<br />
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The Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, IL was the site of Festival of Children Foundation's most recent Carousel of Possible Dreams fundraiser. The Carousel of Possible Dreams is an innovative fundraiser of Festival of Children Foundation. "The concept of the Carousel of Possible Dreams is at the heart of Festival of Children Foundation. It's about people coming together collaboratively to make a positive difference for kids. Festival of Children Foundation supports children's charities across the country, including some extraordinary organizations in the Chicago area," added Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Founder and Executive Director of Festival of Children Foundation.Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-60378078853617162972013-07-18T16:52:00.003-07:002013-07-18T16:52:27.556-07:00The Carousel of Possible Dreams puts the "FUN" in Fundraising! <br />
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Festival of Children Foundation is proud to partner with the Sanfilippo Foundation in Chicago to present The Carousel of Possible Dreams on Saturday, August 3rd. This unique carousel fundraiser will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.</div>
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Chicago civic, business and philanthropic leaders will test their fundraising prowess aboard the Eden Palais, a spectacular 19th Century European Salon Carousel housed at the private Sanfilippo Estate in Barrington Hills, Illinois. Armed only with their cell phones, riders will dial for donations as they go round and round and up and down on the carousel. Riders will not be allowed off the carousel until they've achieved their fundraising goals for the charities. 100% of money raised will go directly to the nonprofit organizations. How long it takes is up to the riders! </div>
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The goal is to raise $300,000 for these two children's organizations. We invite you to visit <a href="http://www.festivalofchildren.org/">www.festivalofchildren.org</a> for information on how you can help support this unique fundraiser. </div>
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Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-42701843481734194232013-06-21T15:59:00.000-07:002013-06-21T16:07:59.153-07:00Senate Resolution 173 designates September 2013 as National Child Awareness Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's official! September 2013 has been declared National Child Awareness Month by the U.S. Senate! Senate Resolution 173 was unanimously passed on June 18, 2013.<br />
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Festival of Children Foundation is proud to have once again succeeded in its efforts to promote awareness of children's charities and youth-serving organizations across the United States. 2013 is the 6th consecutive year this effort has been led by Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder and executive director of Festival of Children Foundation.<br />
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We'd like to thank Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and her five cosponsors, Richard Burr (R-NC), Thomas Coburn (R-OK), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Michael Enzi (R-WY) and Patty Murray (D-WA). <br />
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If you'd like to read more details about Senate Resolution 173, we invite you to click on:<br />
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<a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/sres173/text">http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/sres173/text</a></div>
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<strike></strike><br />Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-11857481647055714402013-05-15T16:48:00.001-07:002013-06-05T14:42:24.734-07:00InStyle Magazine Event at Longchamp Boutique benefits Festival of Children Foundation<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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InStyle Magazine and Longchamp recently partnered for an exclusive shopping night at South Coast Plaza. The event was co-hosted by Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, founder of Festival of Children Foundation, and Jennifer Grace, founder of the Native Fox blog. Guests enjoyed complimentary mini-manicures inspired by Longchamp's LM Cuir collection of colorful spring bags.</div>
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And the great takeaway? </div>
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Longchamp and InStyle Magazine generously donated a portion of proceeds from the event to Festival of Children Foundation! </div>
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Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-90592020039789860802013-05-09T16:58:00.000-07:002013-05-09T16:58:05.452-07:00Festival of Children Foundation is proud to be the official Nonprofit Charity Partner at the Doheny Blues Festival for the 5th consecutive year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-54083636889991453612013-05-02T16:53:00.000-07:002013-05-02T16:53:15.319-07:00Kids of all ages turn out to write 507 letters to U.S. troops in one afternoon!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Festival of Children Foundation and Team Kids collaborated on "Letters from Home" on Saturday, April 27th. The afternoon was designed to recognize Global Youth Service Day with a goal to set the record for the most cards written to U.S. troops in one afternoon. </div>
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Kids of all ages were invited to South Coast Plaza's Carousel Court where they were given art supplies and paper to create their letters. 507 letters were written in a four hour window of time.</div>
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"I know first hand how incredible it is to receive mail from when I was deployed in Iraq," said Team Kids Program Director Jamie "Doc" Havig. "Nothing raises the spirits of our troops like a hand written letter from a child!"</div>
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"This project mobilized children from California to Virginia to send much deserved messages of appreciation to our troops serving abroad," said Team Kids Founder and CEO Julie Hudash. "Our collaboration with Team Kids resulted in a record setting afternoon that benefits our troops. That's very exciting!" added Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Founder and Executive Director of Festival of Children Foundation.</div>
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Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406919438029032629.post-40863800111001043742013-04-16T17:25:00.002-07:002013-04-16T17:25:49.695-07:00Celebrate Global Youth Service Day by helping us "Stuff the Bus" for our troops!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In celebration of Global Youth Service Day kids and their families are invited to join Festival of Children Foundation and Team Kids for "Letters from Home," an afternoon designed to set the record for the most cards written to our troops in one afternoon.<br />
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Kids of all ages will meet in South Coast Plaza's Carousel Court and be given art supplies to create their cards. The goal is to "stuff the bus" - Team Kids' little military bus - which will be parked out at the Z'Tejas restaurant entrance off of Bristol Street. Operation Gratitude will handle distributing the cards to the troops. <br />
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The day will conclude with a Presidential Award being given to middle school and high school members of the Team Kids Youth Council for outstanding service. Uniformed soldiers and officers will also be on hand for photo opportunities and to interact with the crowd.<br />
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We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, April 27th from Noon - 4:00 p.m. at South Coast Plaza's Carousel Court. 3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626<br />
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For more information about our collaborators visit <a href="http://www.gysd.org/">www.gysd.org</a>, <a href="http://www.teamkids.org/">www.teamkids.org</a> and <a href="http://www.operationgratitude.org/">www.operationgratitude.org</a> <br />
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Or telephone (714) 438-3286.<br />
Festival of Children Foundationhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09631652900647266590noreply@blogger.com0