Like a superhero Santa, the City of Cypress graciously offered The Youth Center in Los Alamitos a new site for their 20th annual Christmas Tree Lot, a major fundraiser for the award-winning nonprofit. Due to construction, the lot had to be moved from Ganahl Lumber in Los Alamitos to a new location this year.

With the help of Cypress Mayor Jon Peat and City Manager Peter Grant, this year’s tree lot will be near the Los Alamitos Race Track parking lot at 5047 Katella Ave., (intersection of Katella and Siboney) in Cypress. It will be open Nov. 24 to Dec. 17 with hours from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, and noon to 9 p.m. on weekdays.

Without the City of Cypress’ help, more than 300 elementary and high school “elves” would not receive vital volunteer work experience hours. The Youth Center also would not be able to provide program services for children, be able to give holiday trees to families in need, or give back funds to local schools.

“With the City of Cypress extending a helping hand, lives are forever changed for the better, and we cannot express our gratitude enough!” said Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme.

With big smiles and rolled up sleeves, The Youth Center is now preparing for the arrival of 3,000 trees from farms in Oregon. As part of being eco-friendly, new trees are replanted. Four kinds of fragrant, fresh trees will be sold along with other holiday items. There will also be a raffle and opportunity for shoppers to donate to specific schools, supporting volunteerism in the local community.

“By buying from the Youth Center, we are enriching the lives of children in our neighborhoods,” said Board Member Debra Macknicki.

Volunteers are needed and can be as young as 14 (without a parent), with a mandatory orientation on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. at the Youth Center in Los Alamitos. Both Los Alamitos Unified School District (LAUSD) and Anaheim Union High School District (AUHSD) students have been invited to provide volunteer help, giving them a chance to give back while earning valued community service hours. Students from any high school are welcome to participate.

“Ninety-nine percent of those assisting with the tree lot are volunteers,” Youth Center Executive Assistant Julie Rubin said. “There’s nothing like being around the wonderful scent of pine while helping families find the perfect tree. Without the warm welcome by Mayor Peat and City Manager Grant, this would not be possible. We are forever grateful!”

Rubin added, “It was after hearing our plea for space for the lot, that my realtor, a Cypress resident said, ‘Knowing how my city reached out for this worthy cause makes me proud to be a resident of the City of Cypress.’”

The Youth Center is also grateful to their big supporters including Ganahl Lumber, Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas and the Los Alamitos Race Track as well.

All trees arrive weekly and are freshly cut again on-site at the lot. Delivery is available within 10 miles for a modest fee. Wreaths, small trees (under 3’), garland, stands, tree preservatives, bags, and holiday knickknacks are also sold at the lot.

Types of trees sold are the Noble, Nordmann Fir, Grand Fir and Douglas Fir. The best sellers for aroma and long life are the popular Noble. The Nordman Fir is known for a bluish-green color and strong branches. The Douglas Fir trees are the most affordable and come out later towards the holidays. The Grand Fir trees are known for their aromatic scent. Trees are painstakingly cared for and watered within one hour of being cut at the lot.

“It’s work done with love and with kids in mind,” added Rubin.

Selecting a tree from the Youth Center is an annual tradition for many, with every penny raised going directly to their After School Program, RASCALS, Music Program, the Leadership Academy, “Every 15 Minutes” bi-annual youth drunk driving determent program, Camp S.H.A.R.K. and Teen Camps.

“The Youth Center Christmas trees are a win-win situation,” said Youth Center Fundraising Committee Member Mark Macknicki. “I get the best Christmas tree available while supporting a great organization, which provides an enriched environment for children.”

Funds will also benefit local elementary PTA groups, Los Alamitos High School baseball, basketball, marching bands, and other youth organizations.

Proceeds from the tree lot fund scholarships for the many programs the Youth Center runs, and enables children who might not otherwise be able to attend, to be able to come, according to Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme. She added, ”Over 65 families got scholarships last year from the Christmas tree lot proceeds alone.”

For more information on the Youth Center annual Christmas Tree Lot and how to volunteer, please sign up online at www.theyouthcenter.org or contact the Youth Center at 562-493-4043.

On a mission to empower and impart wisdom to the next generation, instructors from The Youth Center’s Leadership Academy brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to their student workshops.

The five outstanding instructors who taught real-world adult life skills were Michelle Tachick, program specialist for Youth Employment Service (Y.E.S.) in Costa Mesa, and Amy Payne, executive director of Summer Harvest, Food for Kids with families of the Los Alamitos, Cypress and Fountain Valley school districts. Other instructors included Seth Eaker of Black Marble Consulting, LLC, of Seal Beach and Macau, China who taught on being a good citizen and life choices, Jason Fish, a specialist in organizational leadership at Cypress High School who taught on leadership lessons, and Jeffrey Blanc of New York Life who instructed on independent living skills.

Tachick, who has been with Y.E.S. for the last three years and has had her own business for many years taught on pre-employment job readiness skills, while Payne brought her extensive knowledge of nutrition and cooking skills to the 24 Leadership Academy students. Payne even helped them to prepare their very meal served to parents and politicians at their graduation ceremony.

“I believe all young adults should have every opportunity available to better themselves, to learn and grow,” said Tachick. “It’s pretty awesome having someone that can assist you when looking for jobs and be another source of support!” She specifically taught the students how to prepare their ‘elevator pitch,’ interviewing preparation, resumes, how to use online resources like LinkedIn, and organized ‘mock interviews’ with Y.E.S. Human Resource volunteers.

“Each student had the opportunity to practice all they learned with a one-on-one mock interview received feedback from their professional interviewer,” Tachick said. “They did fantastic! Our goal was to prepare them with the tools they need to feel confident in their job search, applications, follow-up, interviewing skills so they can be successful in landing a job when needed.”

Tachick added, “The students at Leadership Academy were outstanding! Very engaged, polite, enthusiastic, and had asked a lot of questions. Our volunteers who came out to help with the mock interviews all said how much they enjoyed being there and how the students were well prepared and fun to speak with.”

Though she had nothing like the Leadership Academy growing up, Tachick wishes she had known about it for her own children, saying it is a “tremendous program.” She added that once the academy students complete the Y.E.S. program they have services available to them until they turn 25 years old. Services include help with interviewing, job fairs, networking events, job board, personal resume consultation with a professional resume builder, and all the support they need.

Preparing and empowering youth by bringing them up with healthy eating habits facilitated thru simple meal preparation, Payne likewise has a passion she wanted to share with the Leadership Academy students. She and her 100 percent volunteer run non-profit, Summer Harvest, help to provide healthy meals to families with children on the free and reduced lunch program, during breaks from school, through the distribution of food and education.

“I feel that it is important life skill for young adults to be able to meal plan and cook healthy meals,” she said. “I hope they learned the basics of how to prepare quick, healthly meals on a limited budget with minimal equipment.”

As a mother of two “amazing daughters” with husband, Sean Payne, residing out of Seal Beach, she strongly believes in investing in the next generation in order to keep communities strong. “If everyone waited for someone else to do something nothing would get done,” she added. “I hope more young people see the value in eating healthy and maintaining a balanced life.”

Payne said that although she had some life skills such as basic finance and cooking in junior high and high school while growing up in La Palma, that there was never a program like the Leadership Academy that brought it all together. It wasn’t until she attended college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo majoring in Engineering and minoring in Dance, and marrying after graduation that she mastered adult life skills for herself.

Like Tachick, she was equally impressed with the young academy students, most of which were still in high school. “Overall they were willing and excited to learn these life skills,” she said. Both instructors said they’d return to teach next year’s Leadership Academy.

Instructors Seth Eaker and Jason Fish were also impressed with the academy students saying they also would return to teach as well. Although Eaker found he had to actively engage the students, he said once they were “on a roll” that they understood “the power of being their most authentic self.” Fish said it was his hope that the students were able to grasp the importance of making an impact on someone’s life, whether in a big or small way.

“The only way for young people to learn to be leaders is if they have others in life to model themselves after,” Fish said. Having attended a similar leadership academy in high school, he added it was one of the best opportunities he ever experienced.

For instructor Jeffrey Blanc it was personal as to why he taught the academy students. At the age of 15, his father died and he had to learn quickly that if he didn’t grow up things would go down instead of up. Living independently since the age of 18, Blanc believes generations are always dependent upon each other.

“I felt that my experiences could impart some knowledge,” he said. “I wanted to impart that education is everywhere, not just in school. Life is our classroom.”

“Making a difference requires action, Blanc said. “Words are just words. I did what they [the students] are about to embark on.”

For more information about The Youth Center Leadership Academy, please visit online at www.theyouthcenter.org. To be wait listed for next year’s academy, please visit in**@************er.org.