10th annual TACH Bash draws 200
The community joined in fanfare for a good cause Saturday with the La Cañada High School chapter of Teens for the Advancement of Children’s Hospital (TACH) at Memorial Park, raising more than $3,000 for the hospital. The day included live music, basketball, a silent auction, a 50/50 cash raffle, an inflatable slide, a pie-in-the-face game, face painting and more.
The 10th annual TACH Bash attracted about 200 people, according to Lisa Simone, past president of the Flintridge Guild of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a nonprofit that supports the hospital and sponsors TACH.
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“This event allows us to mix it up and raise awareness of CHLA,” said David Yoon, LCHS senior and president of TACH, which is comprised of about 50 students. “All the money goes toward the Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Division of CHLA.”
Aside from TACH Bash, the high school chapter conducts support efforts year round, such as drives for toiletries, gift cards and school supplies, as well as partners with local businesses. At the end of the school year, the raised monies will go directly to help kids admitted to that division of the hospital, says Simone. The division provides more than a dozen different programs and services that serve as a single resource for comprehensive medical, psychological and related services to address special needs children and teens today.
“We’re really blessed with our health and these kids at CHLA are not in good shape,” Yoon said.
Simone added that some TACH members have been patients at the CHLA division. Over the 10 years TACH has been doing fundraising and in kind donations, Simone estimated that the hospital has benefited to the tune of about $100,000 from the local group’s efforts.
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On Saturday, she said they received a lot of families who had been shopping at the nearby farmer’s market. One man was at Memorial Park Saturday around noon having a party with his family, she said. He saw the TACH bash and talked with Simone, revealing that his daughter once had a cyst on her neck and was admitted to CHLA.
“He gave me $60 right away,” Simone said.
Lauren Trujillo, LCHS junior, and Katie Cunningham, a senior, sat on a blanket at the park with Lauren’s dog, Molly. Katie had performed at the gazebo earlier in the day with her guitar and piano.
Lauren said it is her second year as a member of TACH.
“It’s really nice to see a campus group who care about the well being [of patients] at CHLA,” she said. “It’s nice to help.”
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Matt Sanderson is a contributing writer.
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