Serving together, spreading love – was the theme President Preeti Sonni-Mehta shared at the annual National Charity League, Del Norte Chapter Mother-Daughter Kickoff and Philanthropy Showcase event held Sept. 8 in the gym at Nativity School in Rancho Santa Fe. Over 200 mothers and daughters in grades 8-12 showed up to celebrate the new year together, according to a news release.

The room was beautifully set with trifold displays surrounding the space showcasing the several philanthropies the chapter serves. To create further interest in the philanthropies, a scavenger hunt and raffle was incorporated into the event. Ticktocker Audrey Donnelly (class) won the raffle’s Sephora Gift card.

The new board members Jenny Erikson-Hart, VP engagement & inclusion, VP Sarah Epstein, VP of philanthropy, Alicia Gaudio, VP communications, and Candice Antonelli, VP Ticktockers, took a moment to introduce themselves and explain their roles at the start of the meeting.

Epstein introduced two new organizations the chapter will be working with in the upcoming year. The organizations are the Princess Project which promotes self-confidence and individual beauty by providing free prom dresses and accessories to high school teens, and the Monarch School, a school of nearly 300 K-12 students that serves unhoused students and their families who live in San Diego County.

The meeting included a beautifully coordinated video montage created by Erikson-Hart to welcome the new members in the classes of 2030 and 2029, a spotlight on what the year ahead will look like, and concluded with a special recognition for the achievements that many of the young women, or Ticktockers as they are called, achieved in philanthropic volunteerism last year.

This year marks 100 years of National Charity League. Sonni-Mehta announced that the chapter will participate in many celebrations to mark this momentous achievement saying in the news release, “I look forward to celebrating the NCL centennial year with members all over the country at the national convention in Anaheim on Aug 2-4.” She added, “I want to thank my daughter, Nila, class of 2026, for allowing me to be a part of this organization and giving back to our community together.”

A cupcake decorating contest, a new and fun event, was added to the Kickoff this year. The only rule for entry was to create a cupcake in the spirit of one of the chapter’s philanthropy partners. Sami Hygue (2026) won with her edible animal sculptures meant to honor NCL Del Norte’s partnership with Helen Woodward Animal Center. The senior class then hosted a cupcake walk giving all the Ticktockers a chance to eat one of the deliciously designed cupcakes.

The event ended with an awards ceremony that honored 33 mother and daughter teams for their more than 25 hours of philanthropy they each logged throughout the year. Over 30 Ticktockers whose achievements ranged from volunteering in more than 12 philanthropies, volunteering more than 50 hours to a single philanthropy, volunteering 50+, 75+ or 100+ hours of service in combined philanthropies, were honored with recognition and awards. The final award of the night was the Merci Award which went to senior Ticktocker Olivia Howe for completing the most service hours during the year.

After the meeting Sonni-Mehta said in the news release, “Today was a very successful event. I look forward to seeing the wonderful things our mothers and daughters will accomplish throughout the year ahead.”

Visit www.nationalcharityleague.org to find more information on how to get involved.