A Spark of Hope

A Testament to Our Kids and Community Spirit

By Claire Nelson

In early January, as devastating wildfires erupted 25 miles north, most of Long Beach wondered how to help; fortunately, some leaped into action. This story highlights some remarkable young ladies who were part of the leap.

It all began with a simple idea. Sofija Dankers, a 4th-grade student at Lowell, had pondered the idea of using the lemons from the tree in her backyard to help those in need. Making a difference had long been a conversation topic in her family. As the fires raged north of her, she told her parents that she wanted to do a LemonAid stand to help the victims.

The family gathered to brainstorm how they could help bring Sofija's vision to life. In addition to a LemonAid stand, they discovered an easy way to extend the impact with the Red Cross's "create your fundraiser" initiative. This platform provided a structured and impactful way to raise funds for this cause.

Sofija

Sofija’s friend Chloe Jones eagerly joined the cause, helping to create colorful and eye-catching posters to promote the event. Sofija and family juiced an impressive 300 lemons, producing a whopping 10 gallons of lemonade. On Saturday, January 18th excitement and a touch of nervousness filled the air as they set up a pop-up tent at the Granada Beach entrance.

The scene was lively and inviting, with little cups adorned with "thank you" stickers specially made by Sofija's for the LemonAid stand. Flyers and posters were strategically placed to draw in the community, and the response was immediate. By the end of the day, she and her family had collected an astonishing $517, with every penny going directly to support fire victims. But the story doesn’t end there. Her initiative continued to inspire giving through a Red Cross QR code that enabled ongoing donations to the wildfire victims. To date, she’s raised $1,447.

The event's success and the community's response deeply moved Sofija, encouraging her to think bigger. She now envisions turning this into an annual event, scaling it up by involving more families and getting lemons donated from various sources around the neighborhood. This way, the spirit of giving can continue to flourish, year after year.

Girl Scout Troop 70403, hailing from Fremont Elementary School, is a group of girls who have been together since kindergarten. Now in 5th grade, these scouts, ably guided by troop parents Breanne Bannon and Lauren Willard mobilized swiftly, organizing a relief effort in just one day—Friday, January 10th. Via a group text, Breane, Lauren and fellow scout parent Dani Kuhlman, took charge, quickly securing the Marine Landing Girl Scout facility, compiling an Amazon wishlist, creating and sharing flyers/social media posts to raise awareness, signing up volunteers beyond just the scouts, and reaching out to other troops in the broader Long Beach area for additional assistance.

Girl Scout Troop 70403

The response was overwhelming. They were ready for donations by noon Saturday and within hours, they had collected carloads of donations bound for Los Angeles. Their efforts supported several organizations including It’s Bigger Than Us, the 9ThirtyLA Shelter, which was set to open its doors on Monday. Thanks to the massive outpouring, the shelter was fully stocked and ready to assist those in need. The massive amount of used clothes collected was later donated to a Jewish women's center in Pasadena, further extending their impact.

As the weekend ended, well over 300 people had donated goods at Marine Landing and numerous Amazon packages showed up at Breanne’s house. Their efforts didn't stop there; they partnered with Community Loving, a free store in El Segundo, allowing people displaced from the fires to shop for necessities at no cost. The troop volunteered at the store the following weekend, delivering thousands in donated cash and gift cards, bringing their journey full circle.

Throughout the weekend, Troop 70403 worked tirelessly with a smile, managing donations, and logistics, and ensuring all items reached those in need. This experience was a profound one for the girls. In times of stress like these fires, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by negative emotions. However, Troop 70403 channeled this energy into something profoundly good. They experienced an abundance of random goodness and the value of a community that cares.

Sofija, and the girls from Troop 70403, along with their dedicated supporters, demonstrated the essential value of a connected community that steps up to help in times of need. This life lesson will stay with them as they continue to grow and contribute to their communities, carrying forward the spirit of compassion and selflessness they have so beautifully embodied.