I am happy to share that the first annual Children’s Business Fair, held this past Saturday at the Village of Hope, was a huge success! Over 500 attendees from the community came out to shop the 50 booths at the fair, 5 of which were created and operated by some of the children here from the VOH. This event taught our children the value of entrepreneurship and teamwork as well as empowered them to be creative and self-sufficient.
Leading the Orange County Rescue Mission challenges me to take dynamic initiatives and opportunities for our children to learn. Giving the children at Village of Hope an opportunity to participate in an event like this helps to make the most of their time with us.
Please take a look at the following article from the OC Register highlighting some of our young entrepreneurs.
STEVEN GEORGES, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
Danae Bosch and her friend Grace Wakeling decided to put their pastry chef skills on display Saturday at the “first annual” Children’s Business Fair, hosted by the Orange County Rescue Mission in Tustin. The event aimed to introduce kids to the world of small business. “I bake about two or three times a day,” said Danae, who attends Calvary Christian School in Santa Ana. “When I brought my cupcakes to our homeroom class at school, everyone ate them all up.”
That positive feedback led to the roll out of signature cupcakes such as Strawberry Nutella, Boston Cream Pie, Creme Brulee, S’mores and Lemon Meringue. “Cake in a Cup” delectables sold like hot cakes at $1.50 each. After a quick lesson in supply and demand, the merchants went up 50 cents. “They realized they had pricing power,” said Mark Bucher, the fair’s co-chairman. “It was like an entry-level college course.”
Five of the 45 booths at the fair were operated by young residents of Village of Hope shelter — home to about 120 adults and 80 children. “We currently have the highest population of children living at the Village of Hope to date, and it’s imperative that we not only provide them with basic necessities, but the tools for future success,” said Jim Palmer, president of the Orange County Rescue Mission.
Emma Moore, 10, a student at Santa Ana-based Springs Charter School, and her little sister Aubrey, 5, presented their handmade natural soaps under the brand name Suds ’n’ Scrubs.
Inspired by their pugs, Cat Paluck, 14, and Ashley Banks, 13, who also attend Springs, designed bookmarks, stickers and cards with the breed’s likeness – cleverly christening their enterprise Pugs and Kisses. Not ones to miss opportunity, the girls offered up their flat-faced dogs as selfie models for $1.
Eight-year-old sisters Daisy and Annabelle Yanik, Springs attendees, set up a mini-gallery to exhibit their drawings and paintings of frogs, deer and trees.
Emoji-faced cupcakes added a touch of humor. Calvary Christian friends Emma Bucher and Clarissa Crispin, both 11, dubbed their booth Emma & Clarissa’s Sweet Treats.
And what would a kids’ emporium be without something cellphone-related? Buddies Jasmine Lugo, 13, Karina Padilla, 12, and Jocelyn Gonzalez, 12 – all students at Vista Heritage Middle School in Santa Ana – founded Bro Moji, featuring hand-decorated phone cases. “Most of our friends from our school didn’t have designs on their phone covers,” said Jasmine. “So we decided maybe we can change it up and design the phone cases ourselves.”
Co-chair Bucher estimated that more than 500 shoppers came to wander about the fair. “I was amazed by the variety and creativity,” Bucher said.
By SUSAN CHRISTIAN GOULDING / STAFF WRITER – Contact the writer: sgoulding@ocregister.com
