Toni Solow

The volunteer spirit runs in Toni Solow’s family.

As a co-chair of Newport Beach’s Spirit Run, the Corona del Mar

mom maintains the altruistic attitude instilled in her at a young age

by her parents. And that now rubs off on 12-year-old daughter Hannah.

“I’ve learned that she’s a good role model for me and I think if I

have kids, I’ll volunteer,” Hannah said.

Solow got involved with the Spirit Run through her parent-related

activities at Harbor View Elementary School. As she got acclimated to

the way the Spirit Run was run, she thought there must be a better

way.

“It always seemed to be stressful for whatever school took it on,”

Solow said. “I thought, why not all work together?”

So Solow proposed the formation of an executive board. Her

counterpart at Lincoln Elementary School, Robyn Moss, was so enthused

with the idea that she joined Solow as co-chair. This is the third

year the dynamic duo will lead the event.

“She’s great to work with, she’s a take-charge person, very

organized,” Moss said. “No task is too small and no task is too

large.”

Solow said she was inspired to get involved at Harbor View because

she grew up in a family where great value was placed on volunteering.

“My mom was a volunteer,” Solow said. “I grew up with the attitude

that you give something back.”

Solow found a similar spirit among a cadre of committed volunteers

at Harbor View when Hannah, who now attends Orange County High School

of the Arts, started there seven years ago. Now, younger daughter

Sophie is a fifth-grader at the school.

In the past seven years, Solow has served in various capacities.

In addition to co-chairing Spirit Run this year, she also co-chairs

the school play, “Lady Luck,” which runs the following weekend.

Her responsibility with Spirit Run includes handling the banking

duties and sweatshirts and obtaining sponsors.

But Solow is poised to pass the Spirit Run torch next year since

she would like to concentrate solely on Sophie’s last year at the

school.

She said she feels grateful that she has had so much time to

invest in Harbor View and its students.

“It gives me great satisfaction,” Solow said. “Kids are only young

for a short period of time and it’s a pleasure to be able to do

things to benefit them and the school.”

-- Story by Deirdre Newman,

Photo by Don Leach