Charity sends out S.O.S

Linda Leach looked focused as she stood on a step ladder trying to maneuver a decoration at the top of a nearly 8-foot Christmas tree inside a ballroom at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa hotel.

Leach, who owns the Newport Beach-based Trinity Bay Interiors design company, was having fun putting her talents to use for a good cause Friday, but like most designers she wanted to make sure every detail was accounted for.

Leach was there to lend her expertise again to the third annual “Festival of Trees” fundraiser for Costa Mesa nonprofit Share Our Selves. Local designers like Leach decorated several artificial holiday trees in the hotel’s lobby Friday for the fundraiser.

She started helping three years ago, after she was told about it, and has been donating her time since.

“It’s fun to use my creativity to help others,” Leach said. “When I learned about this, I said to myself, I can do this!”

When the trees are finished, they will be put up for bid. Share our Selves provides free medical, dental and various other social services to the area’s in-need population. The agency has seen heightened demand in the wheezing economy.

While Leach worked on her company’s tree, other volunteers from various sponsors and firms worked on their own trees. Some of the companies participating included Fresco Design Concepts and Elegant by Design. Other volunteers from the Orange County Fair and Events Center, Newport Harbor High School students and South Coast Plaza joined in the fun.

The hotel’s customers and visitors can bid on the Christmas trees starting Tuesday, as part of a silent auction that will end on Dec. 4.

About 25 trees will be included during the auction and will have prizes attached to them such as Lakers tickets or trips, as well as autographed Los Angeles Angels items, said Ashley Carlton of Share Our Selves, who helped coordinate the event. Bidders will be able to see some of the goodies on the tree they vie for, she said.

Corporate sponsors of the event included Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, S.D. Deacon Corp. and Yokohama Tire Corp.

For more information, call (949) 515-5400, ext. 34, or visit www.shareourselves.org.