By Madeleine Coate
Staff Writer
This October, while most students are getting ready for the new season, some students are preparing for their very first club meeting. One of these new clubs sells tasty treats to give back.
Lauren Berty and Haley Webb founded the club, called Cupcakes for a Cause. It was approved by ASB on Monday, October 15th. They will be selling cupcakes contributed by Savory n’ Sweets Catering Company and Frosted Cupcakes in Hermosa Beach.
“We are donating the money to an orphanage because my aunt grew up in an orphanage and I just wanted to do something special that was connected to her,” co-president sophomore Lauren Berty said.
The club will devote their funds to Five Acres Orphanage in Pasadena. Though they have yet to meet, they have already selected sophomores Sara Kohrogi as treasurer, Lindsay Chalmers as vice president, and Reed and Reagan Wojick as their vice presidents of fundraising events.
“Lauren told me she was starting this club and she told me it was a really good idea, so I decided to join,” future club member sophomore Ali DeRosa said. “It is special because it is not a club about something little, it’s for an orphanage and anything we do will go towards that and it’s fun.”
Besides selling cupcakes, other up-and-coming clubs, like Quipo club, will sell t-shirts to raise money and spread awareness.
English and creative writing teacher, Shannon Vaughan introduced the Quipo organization, which protects the rainforest. Students Lia Sepanek and Shane Siegelman are now co-presidents of the club.
“The Quipo club was approved Monday, October 15th, and we had our meeting on Wednesday,” Vaughan said.
October 25th, they had their first meeting and watched a movie about the rainforest. The club also officially started the Quipo fundraiser. Though Quipo club at Costa is selling shirts, the organization sells bracelets made by the Aborigines and other items whose profits go towards saving the rainforest.
“Our main goal as a club is to raise as much money as possible,” junior co president Lia Sepanek said. “The more money we raise, the more meters of the rainforest we can preserve. We also want to raise awareness about the tragedies of deforestation and encourage people to think greener.”
In a previous meeting, the club will have their second meeting next Wednesday. They will have guest speaker, Chloe Barton, visit them to educate further educate club members about the cause of the club.
“The following Wednesday we have a speaker coming, on eco-oriented person who is going to teach us about the different species of the rainforest and how it is getting endangered,” Vaughan said.
Like Quipo club, Free the Children club is also affiliated with a philanthropic organization. The club is affiliated with Free the Children Organization, which is a nonprofit, charitable organization that works to provide clean drinking water and build schools in villages of third world countries.
“I started this club because I wanted to give impoverished children in third world nations a voice,” president sophomore Ryan Patel said.
The club has selected their vice president, Joey Ellis, secretary, Vejas Vasilauskas, and treasurer, Nikolas Wianecki.
“Ryan and I both founded the club and I found it (the organization) while doing Model U.N. research,” vice president sophomore Joey Ellis said. “I thought it would be an overall great organization to bring to our community.”
At their first meeting on Monday, October 29th in room 45, they discussed where they will build a school, which costs about $8,500. The school will be in one of fourteen countries, including: Ghana, India, Kenya, Uganda, China, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, and Ecuador.
“Our main goal is to build a school and visit it before we graduate,” Patel said. “People should join if they want to have their eyes opened by the harsh truth, and want to change it.”
Cupcakes for a Cause, Quipo, and Free the Children clubs are all making fresh philanthropic efforts by starting clubs that are affiliated with organizations.
“I absolutely appreciate that the students at Mira Costa High School want to help,” activities director Lisa Claypoole said.
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