Mike and Sarah Reilly say they have a lot to be thankful for during this season of giving.
Of course the young couple have their two children, Reese, 3-and-a-half, and Levi, 1-and-a-half, which they count as their biggest blessing. The Reillys are also raising a successful charity organization called All 4 The Kids.
The group is the brainchild of Mike Reilly, a three-time national amateur champion and former World Qualifying Series professional surfer. Reilly and some friends became determined to help the many impoverished children they saw during their surfing safaris around the world.
Mike’s original idea was to have All 4 the Kids fundraising activities focus on issues faced by children living at or near a popular action sports destination.
Reilly’s passion for the charity work is more than just a reflection of his love of surfing. He becomes more focused when discussing the work in which All 4 The Kids is engaged.
“There is a huge need to provide drinking water to kids that do not have it,” Reilly has said.
He noted that millions of people around the world live without safe drinking water and many die each day from water borne illnesses.
All 4 The Kids has partnered with Drop in the Bucket, another organization combating the global water crisis. It installs water wells and sanitation systems throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
While the work goes on in the world’s far-flung regions, All 4 The Kids has tried to assist with funding it raises in events such as its “Night of Giving” series.
All 4 the Kids was formed to operate with no overhead, so that every dollar raised will go straight to the children who are its focus. During its first year, All 4 The Kids raised more than $16,000 in 2009 for mosquito netting for children in Indonesia—a popular surfing destination for many Orange County surfers in search of the perfect wave amid an exotic setting.
According to the Red Cross, approximately 100 million people in Indonesia (nearly half of the entire population) are at risk of malaria infection, with an estimate 42,000 dying of malaria annually.
Malaria can damage a child’s mental and physical development. Some kids have to stop going to school. Others die.
Mike Reilly and friends have seen such children up close and feel as though they know them. They see their lives as a struggle just to achieve a common standard of normal health. The images have been burned into the background of their memories of growing up mostly in the good life of a resident of the west Orange County area, where there is plenty of cool, clear water, bottled or on tap, and easy to get for just about anyone who wants some.
And so All 4 The Kids continues its quest to try to give back to the people and places that touched their hearts and minds and share a bit of life’s abundance – which comes quickest to those who happen to be in the right place at the right time. Places like Indonesia may be a great to surf and forget about the stress of California’s daily grind. Mike Reilly and friends know that it’s also near to hell to grow up poor in such regions.
Now that it is Christmas time, Mike and Sarah Reilly are shifting gears for the season and plan to bring toys and other gifts to children in Mexico.
This is becoming another Reilly family tradition.
“We wanted to do something more last year during Christmas so we decided to find an orphanage to team up with and try to buy a gift for each child,” Sarah Reilly said. “Mikey and I feel so passionate about helping kids in any way so we thought why not have a Christmas party and have everyone bring a gift!”
She described what it was like to distribute gifts in Mexico last year.
“Mikey, and a couple friends left early morning and headed over the border,” she said. “We had to hide the gifts under surf boards in suitcases so the border patrol could not see them. It was scary thinking they might not make it, but they did and we headed three hours south of the border.”
The experience in the name of giving thrilled the members of the group.
“It was priceless to see their faces as each of their names were called to receive their own gift bought just for them,” Sarah Reilly said. “So here we are at Christmas doing it again!”
Local residents can help the Reilly’s and All 4 The Kids continue their work during he holidays and beyond. Donations may be sent to: (and make checks to) all4thekids, 4390 Johanna Ave., Lakewood, CA 90713.
You may also drop off an unwrapped toy for the orphanage to the Sun Newspapers office at 216 Main St., Seal Beach, now through Dec. 17.
All 4 the Kids is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed to provide children of global action sports destinations with tangible items that will help enrich and save their lives. With a zero- overhead business model, All 4 the Kids was formed to operate so that each and every dollar raised will go straight to the children who are its focus. Most importantly, you, the supporter help choose the different initiatives we support each year.
Information on how to become involved with All 4 the Kids can be found online at www.all4thekids.org.
