Bella Salon Has Healthy Goal for Rady Children’s Hospital: $5,000

Christine Alvarado’s son is 14 now, but when he was 9 he spent spent three days at Rady Children’s Hospital with appendicitis.

She remembers the kindness and care shown him and the toys that brightened his days there.

But Alvarado—owner of Bella D’ora Spa—also remembers the positive impact they made on the lives of other children.

“When you see the smiles on their faces, you just want to do something,” she said. “If they can’t help themselves, we have to help them.”

And so she has.

Alvarado kicked off a two-month fundraising campaign for the hospital at the beginning of March.

She and her 40 salon employees have been collecting toys and monetary donations and hope to raise more than $5,000 by month’s end.

The business has also agreed to donate $5 of every hair cut on Fridays during the campaign.

“Our employees are always looking at ways to give back,” she said. “We are in the business of giving and making people feel well.”

Patch readers can donate new, unwrapped toys at Bella D’ora Salon at 2386 Faraday Ave., Carlsbad.