Volunteer Spirit

Teaching daughters about giving

Alaska Airlines Magazine

July 2010

In a world of iPods and Facebook, it's important to connect kids to their communities. Debby Miller, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant since 1992, volunteers with her 13-year old daughter, Delana, with the National Charity League, Pacific Coast Chapter (www.nclpacificcoast.org), a group that provides philanthropic support to 20 nonprofits in the Los Angeles area. NCL is based on a six-year plan that creates community-service, leadership and cultural experiences for the young volunteers, while strengthening the mother-daughter relationship. Last year, the Millers volunteered more than 100 hours while working with organizations such as the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County.

In the late 1970s and '80s, Debby made a dozen trips to Mother Theresa's orphanage in India to escort children to new homes in the United States.

Her volunteer work is still kid oriented: She works actively with her PTSA, and since having her kitchen remodeled on HGTV's Designers' Challenge, she's been happy to host meals for large groups of PTSA members and school administrators-it comes naturally for an experienced flight attendant. -- P.F.

The OC Register

Wave June 3, 2010

25 Women Receive College Scholarships

The Pacific Coast Chapter of the National Charity League has awarded 25 scholarships to local high school seniors, up from 19 scholarships awarded last year.

"There are many young women in our community who need financial help to realize their dreams of a college education," said Janet McCord, President Pacific Coast Chapter. "We have been able to identify and help many teens over the past ten years."

The scholarships honor Huntington Beach Union High School District senior women chosen for their academic goals, financial need and compelling life stories. The winners are: Mariah Clayton, Lucero Silva, Sabrina Syet, Lidia Alvarado, My Nguyen, Tracy Vu, Amy Le, Michelle Thai, Alexandra Dryer, Eunice Kim, Karina Castro, Adriana Pulido, Kathaleen Pham, Dianna Nguyen, Carmen Marquez, Elizabeth La, Elaine Doan, Emily Tran, Jordan Wolf Griffin, Vivian Lee, Lauren Jurs, Tiffany Xia, Maria Rodriguez, Kristen Bui and Linh Luong. National Charity League, Inc. Pacific Coast Chapter's mission is to foster Mother and Daughter relationships in a philanthropic organization committed to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences. Women with daughters living in the HBUHSD can apply for membership to the National Charity League in the fall of their daughter's sixth grade year.

Operation Valentine

The OC Register

January 14, 2010

Sending Off Some Love for Marines

Moms and daughters spend Sunday preparing care packages for troops in Afghanistan.

by Britney Barnes

Miniature bottles of soap, toothbrushes in neon green blue and red, toys, white-cotton socks and candy were heaped in rows and tossed into cardboard boses as teenage girls went through the twisting, never-ending lines preparing care packages for the 1st Marines division troops in Afghanistan.

Inside each care package, a red or pink hand-written card with cutout hearts and sticker Cupids decorating the front wished a Marine a Happy Valentine's Day. National Charity League Inc. put together more than 2,000 care packages for the Marines on Sunday for its third annual Operation Valentine.

"Mail call is the best thing in the world, and it isn't so much what is inside, but that someone is thinking about you," said Col. Willard Buhl, the commanding officer of the 5th Marine Regiment.

Nearly 800 teenage girls and their mothers from all over Orange County, including Huntington Beach's chapter, descended on Camp Pendleton to assemble the packages and learn a little about the Marines.