As an expression of honor for her best friend who died of cancer nearly 10 years ago, Sydney Fredette has been committed to serving those in Orange County who are less fortunate.
She began with the simple idea of collecting donated Build-A-Bears, the popular stuffed animal that is assembled in the stores’ “workshops.” Sydney then took the donated bears to a motel in Anaheim that serves as temporary housing for the homeless and distributed them as gifts to children during the holiday season.
With donations now at more than 100 bears annually, Fredette and volunteers host “Beary Merry Christmas” each year and have expanded the event to include giving out not only the bears, but also clothing, meals, toiletries and other supplies to families in need.
“I love making relationships with the people I serve,” Fredette said. “The gratitude they have, hearing their stories and seeing how happy they are, it’s so cool.”
Not wanting to limit the giving to just the holiday months, Fredette now hosts other events for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Halloween, providing the chance for her volunteer team to make a difference throughout the year.
The source of her efforts and those volunteers can be found at the Be The Change Club that Sydney organized at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, where her “family of support” is 60-plus members strong and to date has helped gather 2,000 bears, 800 blankets, and more than $70,000 worth of donations for the underserved in Orange County, including books, sleeping bags, meals and toys. (Instagram @BeTheChange_Club)
Additionally, as a Kindness Ambassador for GenerationOn, a national volunteer organization, Fredette spends time at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley, where she challenges the kids to create and practice acts of kindness, modeling for the next generation that young people, too, can make a difference.
Future projects for Fredette include establishing a public food pantry and providing a self-defense/awareness class for college-bound students on her campus, an idea that will come to fruition thanks to a 2016 “Summer of Service” grant she was awarded by The Walt Disney Company.
Heading to college in the fall, Fredette is looking to stay local and continue being the change she feels her county needs. In fact, she was recently recognized by the Disneyland Resort as a “Dreamer & Doer” for her extra efforts in improving her community, along with 32 other Orange County high school students.
The smiles on the faces of those she serves remain both her motivation and her reward. “These charity efforts are such a big part of my life,” Fredette said. “All of it has taught me to be more compassionate and to look out for the needs of others before my own.”
