Gracie Doran Rubs Elbows With Tori Spelling and More

This past month has been very exciting for me. 

I was asked to be the Make-A-Wish Ambassador at the St. Regis Tree Lighting. 

When I arrived I was introduced to Tori Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott the celebrity hosts of the event. They were so nice and her kids are really cute too. 

It was so exciting to get to dedicate the beautiful sand sculpture in the lobby and to watch the St. Regis Christmas Tree Lighting. 

I was also able to help draw the names for the raffle and announce the winners. All raffle proceeds went to Make-A-Wish to help make a local kids wish come true.  I am so proud to be able to help.  

I also had the honor of speaking at the December meeting. The theme for December is “Girls Give Back” and members brought toys for CHOC Hospital. 

I was able to share my experience with the girls and let them know first-hand how much the toys donated mean to the kids at CHOC. I received some toys when I was there and it really does help lift your spirits when you are in the hospital. 

I also spoke with them about giving back in your daily life. My message with them is that we need to be kinder to other girls and accepting of all no matter what their differences.  It was a beautiful night and I was so proud to be there.

If that wasn’t enough, I was honored to be in the Laguna Niguel Holiday Parade as a local hero of Laguna Niguel.  It was amazing!  I was able to attend a VIP reception before the parade and meet Kyla Ross and McKayla Maroney the Olympic Gold Medalists from the 2012 Summer Olympics. They were really sweet and posed for a lot of pictures with everybody. 

I also got to meet Tom Hoff 2008 Olympian and hold his actual Gold Medal, he even let me try it on!.  I rode in a horse drawn wagon sponsored by the Laguna Niguel Rotary Club with other honorees Courtney Fielder, community volunteer and advocate for all children and the arts. 

Dr. Darrell Burnett who runs Challenger Baseball which is a great organization to include kids with special needs in sports and Van Singeltary a postal worker who works hard for our community. 

It was great to wave to everyone in the crowd and see so many people I knew with signs cheering us on. I am so proud to live in this great community where we get together and celebrate our town.   

So the holidays are here and I am excited to perform in the Musical Theater Village of “Christmas with Scrooge.”  It has a very large cast and I love dressing up in the costume and being part of this incredible production. 

The cast is so friendly and if it is your first time or you have been in the show for years everyone treats you as family. The show really gets you in the Christmas spirit and my whole family including my grandparents, cousins aunts and uncle have come to see me. 

I am even going to see the show myself when I am not in it because I love it so much. So like everyone else we seem to be really busy, but I am looking forward to celebrating the holidays with my family and friends. 

To me the true meaning of the holidays, no matter what you believe in is to spend time with the ones you love, be thankful for what you have,  give of yourself without asking for anything back and looking back at the year with pride in how you lived your life.  

From my family to all of yours have a wonderful holiday!