The Youth Center” align=”left” force_circle=”off” revealfx=”off”] It might sound like a small endeavor that impacts only a few, but in actuality The Youth Center and others in the community have counted on their holiday tree lot to provide vital funding and positive experiences for kids for nearly two decades. Due to construction plans, a new location for it is being scouted; Ganahl Lumber in Los Alamitos has graciously hosted it for the last 18 years.
The tree lot funds more than $60,000 in Youth Center programs alone for its ongoing activities throughout the year, including their After School Program, Elementary Music Program, and summer day and teen camps. It provides financially disadvantaged children who might not otherwise get to experience these activities with scholarships throughout the year.
Other local organizations impacted by the award-winning nonprofit’s tree lot include We Care of Los Alamitos, Precious Life Shelter, The City of Los Alamitos, Rossmoor Community Service District, Honoring Our Fallen, the Los Alamitos High School Baseball Team, Los Alamitos High School Marching Band, Los Alamitos High School Basketball Team, St. Hedwig Church and several local elementary PTA groups. With the lot, almost $30,000 in total revenue is made by these organizations, according to Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme.
“The lot is also a place where youth volunteers gain high school community service hours, and it’s their first introduction to valuable customer-service skills that help them land paying jobs elsewhere,” she said. “It also serves the struggling families who might not otherwise be able to afford a Christmas tree by providing 87 families with them each year. Trees are also provided to the Los Alamitos Police Department and City Hall, and to Rossmoor Community Service District.”
From left: Cassy Lumme, Daniel Lumme and Dick Jake work with a netted tree at this year’s Youth Center Christmas Tree Lot in the Ganahl Lumber parking lot. The tree lot serves to give youth valuable volunteer work experience each season, but, because of construction plans, a new location for it is being scouted.
“We chose a family with a young child to donate a tree to,” said Cassy Lumme, daughter of Lina Lumme, The Youth Center executive director. Cassy has been working the tree lot since she was 5 years old. Such life lessons might not otherwise be learned without the opportunity to teach that giving is indeed better than receiving, something that happens at the tree lot regularly one way or another each year, according to her mother.
Another story is that of Mike Frankenberg of Rossmoor, who never had prior customer-service experience until coming to the tree lot to help out when he was 14 years old. Because of his outstanding service, he eventually was one of more than 300 applicants at Tesla Corporation to get hired on as a paid intern.
“Children as young as 5 years old accompanied by a parent or as old as in their late teens learn what hard work and service are all about by working the lot,” Lina said. “We have more than 3,000 trees delivered to us during the holiday season which requires unloading, cutting, drilling and finally standing. With the help of The Youth Center board members serving in any way they can, the kids learn the value of giving back to the community.”
Proceeds from the tree lot are also being used to fund a future building and site for The Youth Center.
“Without proceeds from it, we’d have to come up with more money to save for our future location, and by 2023, The Youth Center’s lease on their current property will be up,” Lina said.
As far as the future location of the tree lot, sites are being investigated, and the Youth Center is considering going with one in Los Alamitos to keep this vital community tradition and service alive and well for all in decades to come.
If anyone else can offer site, please contact The Youth Center office at (562) 493-4043.
