Cookies Key to Girls’ Success:

Three young Santa Monicans showed a lot of community spirit recently when they decided to raise money for American Red Cross wildfire relief efforts. (l-r) Marissa Fitzgerald, Alexa Rodriguez, and Julianne Kelly – all nine-year-olds in 4th grade at Franklin Elementary School – made and sold homemade lemonade, hot chocolate, lemon bars, chocolate chip cookies, and cupcakes from their improvised curbside bake stand at the corner of 24th Street and Marguerita Avenue. In only 2-1/2 hours the girls raised $112, which they donated to the Santa Monica chapter of the American Red Cross. photo courtesy of Joy Kelly