Teens put on ‘Bash’

The local non-profit Teens for the Advancement of Children’s Hospital, put on their final fundraiser of the school year in Memorial Park on Saturday afternoon.

Called TACH Bash, the fundraising event included a mini concert featuring such La Cañada High School bands as The Roads and the school choir. The event also included a silent auction and a drive to collect diapers, baby wipes and other items for expecting moms.

Founded in 2001, TACH is an offshoot non-profit run by teens that falls under the umbrella of the Flintridge Guild for Children’s Hospital. Flintridge Guild member Mayra del Valle guides and advises the teens in their fundraising events and clothing collection drives; all proceeds and goods go to the hospital’s Adolescent Medicine Division.

TACH raised $5,000 last year and the teen members are hoping that proceeds from this year’s Bash will help them reach their goal of $7,000.

Teens involved in TACH choose to work in a specific committee like community outreach, philanthropy or fundraising. From there the teen members are responsible for creating advertising, asking local businesses for donations, organizing the clothing drive, games, bake sale and pottery sale that were part of Saturday’s event.

“They [the teens] came up with games, making signs, getting supplies, getting tables from the community center, putting signs up at school and all over town. There’s no way we could do this without the teens’ participation,” said del Valle.

At the event, Linda Del Cueto, whose 16-year-old son Mario is a TACH member, emphasized what she likes about the organization. “We think it teaches the teens responsibility and organizational skills. When you look at all the young people, it’s a positive thing for them to be a part of,” Del Cueto said.

The teens even organized for a gourmet food truck called Bull Kogi to participate at the event; the truck donated 15% from its sale of food and beverages during the afternoon to the hospital.

The Adolescent Medicine Division at the hospital has five areas of outreach, and TACH collects items for the different programs the hospital runs. The TACH teens collected baby supplies for the Adolescent Medicine Division’s pregnant teen moms, they’ve collected school supplies for the hospital’s gang prevention program, and collected blankets and clothing for the hospital’s homeless teens program. Last November, members of TACH collected toiletries and made over 350 hygiene kits for the homeless teen program as well.