ORANGE : Bricks Being Sold to Finance Renovation

The 65-year-old brick buildings at 124 S. Orange St. and 20 Plaza Square used to be places of commerce.

For the last 30 years, however, these adjacent buildings--which were once home to a bank and the phone company--have housed a philanthropic organization that helps clothe and care for local underprivileged schoolchildren.

Owned by the Assistance League of Orange, the two buildings accommodate the group’s chapter house and thrifty shop, as well as a new dental center, which provides free dental care to more than 1,500 children a year.

The pair of buildings are part of Orange’s Old Town district, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. These days, the two structures, both of which are more than 65 years old, are undergoing a face lift.

After receiving mandates from city and state authorities to upgrade for earthquake safety, the league went to work fortifying its buildings in mid-July. The work should be completed within two weeks.

The seismic repairs have cost the organization about $75,000. So far it has raised $3,000 to pay for the refitting.

The group has launched a “Buy a Brick Campaign” in which people can “purchase” a brick for $200. The first 100 people to do so will get their name engraved on a plaque displayed in the lobby of the chapter house.

For more information about the campaign, call the Assistance League of Orange at (714) 532-5800.