Would you like to go to the San Diego Gulls hockey team’s home opener game at Pechanga Arena . . . and promote literacy at the same time? Easy!
Simply purchase a game ticket via the Char Car #ReadingOnFire FUNraiser and you’ll get to go watch an exciting game and support literacy in San Diego!
All the information you need is in the above graphic. If you don’t have the Venmo app or have trouble using it, see the contact information for Ron Valles and give him a call.
You might remember how the good people of Char Car supported kids at Ronald McDonald House during Star Wars Book Night. See those fun photographs by clicking here! Dr. Elizabeth and Ron Valles have dedicated themselves to promoting literacy and spreading happiness by distributing and reading books to kids!
The home opener for the San Diego Gulls is Saturday, October 10, 2026. Get your tickets now using the information in the above graphic. You’ll benefit local youth. You’ll help ignite their love for reading!
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You can become a real life superhero! Join other superheroes fighting hunger by educating kids with a fun comic book!
I saw the Hunger Action Heroes Unite comic book today on sale in the gift shop of the Comic-Con Museum. The comic book was created by Feeding San Diego to educate young readers about the impacts of hunger and food waste…and to inspire them to be part of the solution!
By purchasing just one comic book (at the museum gift shop or online), you can help provide 14 nutritious meals to people facing hunger. You can also download teacher and parent resources by visiting this website.
People who love the Comic-Con Museum might remember the origin of these Hunger Action Hero characters: Hunger Halter and Demeter were created by students through the Hunger Action Heroes Art Contest. The contest, hosted by Feeding San Diego in collaboration with the Comic-Con Museum, invited students from across San Diego in kindergarten through 12th grade, to submit their vision of a hunger action hero, who helps to end hunger through food rescue. Nearly 300 students submitted their vision of a Hunger Action Hero.
How awesome that a cool idea and contest has grown to become something that truly assists those in need!
As the hunger heroes say, The World Needs You!
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While strolling through the North County Health and Wellness Fair in Oceanside yesterday, I came upon an organization that helps underprivileged kids in North San Diego County. Two nice ladies introduced me to the Assistance League of North Coast!
As their fact sheet explains, the Assistance League of North Coast (ALNC) is one of 95 chapters of the National Assistance League, a nonprofit organization that puts caring and commitment into action through school-based philanthropic programs.
The many volunteers of ALNC serve the youth of Carlsbad, Oceanside and Vista by providing scholarships, teacher grants and more under the umbrella of Operation School Bell. In the past year they’ve provided elementary students with new shoes and socks, health kits, new clothing, new books, new jackets and blankets, and much more! Last year, 174 volunteers spent 24,266 hours helping kids!
Would you like to help them out? Here’s their website.
Should you find yourself in Oceanside, visit the Assistance League of North Coast’s thrift store, located at 1830 Oceanside Boulevard, Suite A. They’re open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 10 am to 3 pm.
Thank you!
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Everyone was smiling at Goldenpalooza in Golden Hill today, especially those at tables stocked with free healthy food, courtesy of Feeding San Diego!
The cost of living seems higher than ever in San Diego, so keeping food on the table is a struggle for too many residents. Feeding San Diego is there to fill in the gaps (and hungry stomachs).
At the Goldenpalooza community festival, people could fill a bag with potatoes, melons, tuna, low fat milk, and other nutritious essentials.
On behalf of so many in San Diego, thank you!
If you’d like to help Feeding San Diego fulfill their mission, or receive help putting food on your own table, visit their website here.
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I met Brian Forristal today. (That’s him on the right.) He is the founder of Veteran Sailing, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to empowering and supporting veterans and service members by hosting no-cost sailing events that facilitate mindfulness and connection to nature, strengthen camaraderie and teamwork, and ignite a lifelong passion for the sea and sailing where adventure awaits.
Where did I meet Brian and his smiling sailing comrades? On the tall ship Bill of Rights during today’s America’s Schooner Cup Race off the coast of San Diego! (Photos of the fantastic race coming up tomorrow!)
The Veteran Sailing website is full of information. They offer a therapeutic Discovery Sail for veterans out on the water. Soon they’ll offer mission-oriented sailing, multi-day excursions, sailing retreats, community events like bonfires and barbecues, and our own sailing school.
Let your veteran friends know this great organization exists! Or perhaps help Veteran Sailing out with a nice donation!
Thank you all for your service!
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April is National Volunteer Month. Have you considered going out into your community and volunteering? Here are 20 past blog posts that are full of ideas!
Hundreds of volunteering opportunities await you all around San Diego. What is your passion? Neighborhood cleanups? Rescuing dogs? Planting flowers? Helping out at a food bank? Creating art? Preserving history? Helping the elderly? Helping kids in hospitals?
Over the years, I’ve blogged about many events and organizations that concern or welcome volunteering.
Because Cool San Diego Sights focuses on my discoveries during walks, I often stumble upon environmental cleanups. But there’s a whole universe of very different volunteering possibilities out there!
I’ve chosen 20 past blog posts that might inspire you to investigate further.
Click on the following links and get some ideas!
(I usually provide a link to the organizations that welcome volunteers. If by chance I didn’t, Google will do the trick!)
The Coronado Historical Association museum has a new exhibit. It celebrates the Rotary Club of Coronado’s 100 year anniversary in 2026.
With historical photographs and artifacts, A Century of Service: 100 Years of the Rotary Club of Coronado covers the history of the club, from its founding in 1926 by 21 members to the present day. More importantly, it details how club members have improved the local community, and have worked to help people all around the world.
I was stunned to learn about the sheer amount of charitable work these Rotarians have done!
The Rotary Club of Coronado has worked to train community members in emergency preparedness. During COVID they created a Neighbor to Neighbor program to help keep people informed and connected. They support the Coronado Hospital Foundation. They offer scholarships, mentorship and leadership opportunities to local youth. They support the Rotary Youth Exchange, Model United Nations, Music Scholarship Competitions, Speech Contests, Athlete Awards and more!
Helping people around the world, the Rotary Club of Coronado fundraises to eradicate polio. They support grants for organizations like Tanzania Hospital and Orphanage, Project Mercy Baja, and the Pan American Institute school in Tijuana, Mexico. They support Limbs of Freedom which provide prosthetics in Mexico. They also support Thousand Smiles, providing cleft lip and other care in Mexico, too.
So much good work!
Go check out the exhibit and prepare to be impressed!
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Fido Fest was held yesterday in Santee’s Town Center Community Park East. Organizations and vendors that support dogs gathered together for the free, very popular event.
I was astonished by the number of organizations present that engage in dog rescue. They came from all around the San Diego and Baja California region. Between them, hundreds of dogs were up for adoption.
Would you like to adopt a dog? Would you like to support those good people who are rescuing dogs and providing them with a loving home?
I walked about Fido Fest and saw many of these good people.
My first photo, above, shows Woofs and Wags Dog Rescue. Their goal is to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome dogs rescued from from San Diego and Baja California. Their website is here.
Labrador Rescuers has been dedicated to the noble cause of rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming Labrador Retrievers for two decades. Their website is here.
Open Arms Rescue, based in Imperial Beach, is giving dogs a new start at a happy life! Their website is here.
Friends Humane Services Tijuana supports street rescues, mass spay and neuter clinics, pet owners with extremely limited resources needing veterinary care for their animals as well as public education programs, adoption programs for rescuers, and a pet food distribution program for animals in need. Their website is here.
Chihuahua Rescue of San Diego County is dedicated to rescuing and caring for homeless, abandoned and injured small breed dogs. Their website is here.
San Diego Humane Society needs no introduction. They do much good work. Visit their website here.
Paws 4 Thought Animal Rescue is an all-breed animal rescue organization. They rescue dogs from shelters at risk of being euthanized, as well as abandoned, abused, and stray dogs in both the U.S. and Tijuana/Rosarito areas. Their website is here.
Calexico Border Paws relocate their visiting animals to forever loving homes that match their needs, while avoiding as much euthanization and as possible. Their website is here.
DeTommaso Dogs Rescue aims to save as many animals in need as they can. They rescue animals from the streets of Baja California. They provide medical care, food, shelter, and rehome dogs. Their Instagram is here.
Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue is the third largest Golden Retriever Rescue in the country, finding homes for over 300 dogs annually. Their website is here.
Ruger’s Rescues is for those individuals and families up and down the state (and even in other states) that found that special dog, but are unable to get to the shelter in time or transport them home. Their website is here.
Rescue Fenix is an all volunteer all breed rescue mobilized by the feeling of compassion for animal welfare: those animals who are in danger, sick, abused and neglect. Their website is here.
Leonberger Rescue Pals is an all volunteer national organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing of unwanted, abandoned or abused Leonbergers and Leonberger mixes. Their website is here.
Animal Donation Advocates has many dogs up for adoption. See their Facebook page here.
Labradors and Friends Dog Rescue‘s mission is to help save the lives of homeless Labradors, Labrador-mixes, and Labrador “friends” from kill-shelters in California and across the southwest. Their website is here.
Animal Rescue Resource Foundation supports a variety of efforts in San Diego County to protect and defend our furry friends. Their goal is to provide connections and solutions for pets and the people that work with them. Their website is here.
Fido Foster Community helps you find your perfect foster match and join San Diego’s cross-rescue foster community. Their website is here.
Heart of Gold’s Shelter in El Cajon is making the world a better place! Their Facebook page is here.
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Char Car (@charcar04) supports literacy by providing books to children in hospitals and schools, including Rady Children’s Hospital. The San Diego Gulls ice hockey team is a big supporter of literacy, too, with programs like Reading is the Goal.
My own short stories, including One Thousand Likes, are read by students around the world, so naturally I’m in favor of these efforts.
I’ve learned that Char Car is holding a Gulls Hockey Fundraiser that keeps kids reading. Game tickets purchased through the fundraiser will benefit summer reading programs. For $20, you get to watch a great game on Saturday, April 18, 2026, and you benefit local families! Sounds like a great deal to me!
For more information, see the above graphic!
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