Newport Beach : Brokerage Firm Raises Funds for Special School

Newport Beach First Financial, a precious metals brokerage firm, has donated $10,800 to La Habra-based Help for Brain-Injured Children, also known as the Cleta Harding Development School.

The firm’s 75 employees volunteered about two hours a day for 12 days on the telephone making calls to friends and businesses seeking donations for the school, a nonprofit organization that educates, counsels and aids in mainstreaming children with neurological brain damage.

“Some of these kids are so helpless, through no fault of their own, and I felt good about helping them,” vice president Stuart Wilson said.

“We were determined to help (these) children in some way.”

Wilson said most of the money was donated by friends of the firm’s employees and a raffle was held offering prizes of gold, silver and vacations.

According to Debbie Hobday, president of HBIC’s 30-person volunteer guild, it costs the center $25,000 a month to exist, and most of the funding comes from donations and fund-raisers like fashion shows and golf tournaments.

Helen Horning, administrative secretary and bookkeeper of the school, said the money given by the brokerage firm will go into a scholarship fund and for operating expenses.

“The kids are really loved (at the school) and it’s heartwarming to see even when the stocks were down, the businessmen at Newport Beach (First Financial) were there for them anyway,” Hobday said.