Wingnuts volunteers at Boys & Girls Club

Volunteering is mandatory at Wingnuts, a new aeronautically themed

restaurant in Costa Mesa that requires and pays all staff members to

perform two hours of community service at the Westside Boys & Girls Club

each month.

The idea came about when Wingnuts owner Gregg Diganci heard about

organizations’ desperate need for volunteers.

The program was designed not only to help a worthy cause, but to give

the employees a sense of higher purpose in their community. It has been

so successful that several of the employees donate more than the required

two hours.

“The children are remarkable, and they really appreciate that we’re

spending time with them,” said Meagan Shortridge, an employee and student

at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa. “I can’t tell you how personally

rewarding this is, so much so that I’ve been donating extra time there

because the kids really need me.”

There are 160 children every day who come into the club. Volunteers

assist with homework, reading, computer skills, and arts and crafts.