On the one year anniversary of the SD Flood 1/22, Lemon Avenue Elementary fifth-grader Sonja Bella Hans is launching another fundraiser, this time to help the children in the Los Angeles Unified School District who lost their schools.

With “Love For L.A.,” she hopes to repeat the success of 2024’s “Bracelets For Bancroft” campaign, which raised more than $1,000 for students of the neighboring school.

Sonja recruited help from two school friends to hand-make beaded keychains over the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. The trio made 120 keychains and plans to sell them at the school. The keychains will sell for $5 each with 100% of the proceeds going to the LA Unified School District.

As to Sonja’s motivation to help others she said, “Children’s homes and schools were completely destroyed…every child deserves an education and it’s important to rebuilt the schools soon to give them a sense of hope!” The fundraiser is called “Love for LA !” and they will be sold after school starting on Wednesday, Jan. 22.

The keychains feature a variety of colors and messages, including those celebrating both San Diego and Los Angeles sports teams.

Encouraging students to serve others

The “Love For L.A.” campaign follows the model of her “Bracelets For Bancroft” fundraiser in 2024, and sparked a school wide effort at Lemon Avenue to show students that they could support other students in difficult times.

As with that effort, La Mesa’s Lemon Avenue Elementary community has supported Sonja and her friends, letting parents at the school know about the campaign.

Editor’s note: Copy courtesy of dunktankmarketing.com. Photo credit: La Mesa-Spring Valley School District.