A Lagunan lending a hand
Sandy Thornton first heard about Joe while she was attending a
benefit where the mayor of Laguna Beach admired the “Lagunans helping
Lagunans.” Soon Lagunans will come together again to honor
10-year-old Joey Masella who has a rare skin disorder called
epidermolysis bullosa.
Led by “the other Sandy,” Laguna Beach volunteer Sandy St. John,
Thornton has spent the last three weeks helping to organize a benefit
for Joe to honor and celebrate his life and strength. The event to be
held at [seven-degrees] on Aug. 22 will raise money to support Joe’s
family and provide for his comfort.
Among features such as good food, a silent auction and dancing,
the benefit will be swinging to the music of former Stray Cat Lee
Rocker and his band.
“The help and advice of so many people was necessary to make this
event happen with only three weeks preparation time,” Thornton said.
“Jimmy from a music store in Laguna called Sound Spectrum told us
that if we wanted to organize a successful benefit, we were going to
need a killer band.”
Volunteer work has been a part of Thornton’s life since the 1970s
when she moved to Laguna and joined the PTA at her children’s
elementary school. After their graduation she became the director of
SchoolPower, the fund-raising arm of the Laguna Unified School
District, and later she was co-director of the Laguna Beach Chamber
of Commerce.
For years Thornton and Sandy St. John worked together raising
money and helping out with many causes -- earning them the nickname
of “The Sandies.” Thornton has taken a bit of a hiatus recently and
the Joey Masella benefit marks her return to Laguna fund-raising.
Working with children seems to hold a special place in Thornton.
Having raised children, she realizes the importance of the attention
they get.
“The support that Laguna residents give to causes like Joey’s
illness amazes me,” she said. “They step up when they are needed and
are very generous with their time and money. I haven’t met a person
yet who has a selfish attitude. They really want to help in any way
they can.”
Thornton is working to plan the benefit for Joe as an up-beat
celebration to honor an extraordinary child.
“The event is not only for Joe, but also for his family who might
need to feel a great deal of hope around them so that they may
project it around Joe,” she said. “Hope is everything in one’s health
because if you lose it you lose yourself. It’s amazing how the mind
works.”
* HEATHER STRUCK is an intern for the Coastline Pilot. She write
features and gathers news information.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.