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ZOOFARI 2010
“Hot Egyptian Nights” Co-Chairs
Sandra Segerstrom Daniels (Sandy) is a perfect example of one woman who is determined to make a difference. A managing partner of C. J. Segerstrom & Sons, which owns the South Coast Plaza shopping center in Southern California, Sandy has always given generously of her time and money to an array of children's organizations. Sandy credits her parents, Jeanette and Hal Segerstrom, for instilling the spirit of giving within her. “It comes from the examples that you have growing up,” said Sandy.
Sandy has long been a hands-on volunteer and as a result has a unique insight into charitable organizations. Several years ago, she was going through donation requests and noticed two invitations for golf tournaments that were scheduled only a week apart. Her immediate thought was, ‘could it be possible for these groups to work in collaboration on one event?’ At that point, she envisioned an opportunity that would bring together people and charities devoted to children's issues – groups focusing on everything from basic health issues to the arts – in order to collaborate on fund-raising efforts and to provide community, educational and personal enrichment for children and families.
From there, the Festival of Children™ was born. This past September, the 6th annual month-long Festival took place with over 60 children’s charities on display at South Coast Plaza. The purpose of the Festival is to bring broad exposure to the general public of the work these groups do in our communities. Festival of Children grew into Festival of Children Foundation whose mission is “to improve the lives of children by strengthening the charities that serve them.” The Foundation provides such things as training, support, and direct grants to over 100 youth serving organizations.
As for the future, Sandy hopes the success of the Festival in Orange County will help it expand to other communities. “There may be a time when we will be able to take our show on the road and help others set up this event in their own communities,” said Sandy.
Sandy also devotes her time to the Board of Directors of the Orange County Performing Arts Center, where she serves as Vice-Chair of Support Groups and Artistic Partners and serves as Director of Tours for The Center Docents. In addition, she is the Vice-Chair, Arts and Entertainment Council for the Orange County High School of Arts Foundation Board of Directors. She recently co-chaired the “CHOC Follies X” which raised nearly $1 Million dollars for Children’s Hospital Orange County; a show in which she has also participated for eight of the last ten years.
The Newport based social activist and leader has received numerous honors marking her contributions to the community. They include the Raise Foundation Blue Ribbon Award, presented in March 2004 for her leadership and vision in bringing together community representatives on behalf of children through Festival of Children, the 2003 Orange County Girl Scout Council Women of Distinction award, the 2003 Association of Fundraising Professionals Outstanding Founder honor and most recently the high-regarded Spirit of Volunteerism 2004 Giving Is Living Award, shared with her husband John, for their life long leadership in volunteerism. In 2005 Sandy was named Businesswoman Mother of the Year by maternal Outreach Management System (MOMS), and in 2006 Childhelp, USA founders Yvonne Fedderson and Sara O’Meara presented Sandy with the Children’s Friend Award.
Sandy is the great grand-daughter of Charles John Segerstrom, who first settled in Orange County in 1903 as a farmer. The Segerstrom family, who in the 1950’s were the nation’s largest independent producers of lima beans, ultimately turned their land holdings into one of the most successful shopping, commercial and cultural centers in the country. She is married to John Daniels and has a daughter, Tiffany. In her free time, she enjoys biking, tennis, water sports, travel, and collecting and restoring classic automobiles with her husband.
Ed Arnold is the co-host and managing editor of KOCE-TV’s nightly news magazine show, “Real Orange”, and the announcer for Dr. Robert H. Schuller’s internationally syndicated “Hour of Power”. He joined KOCE-TV in January 2000 after over thirty years as a sportscaster/anchor in Los Angeles. Ed has been with the “Hour of Power’ since it began in 1970.
Ed was honored with the 2007 “Lifetime Achievement Award” presented by the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California. The Emmy and Golden Mike award winner began his broadcasting career at the age of 14 in his hometown of Texarkana, Arkansas.
The Marine Corps veteran is a graduate of Santa Ana College and Long Beach State.
Ed is extremely involved in his community and serves on a number of board’s. He served on the March of Dimes board of directors for over thirty-five years. Ed is a forty year volunteer of his local Boys and Girls Clubs and is chairman of the Huntington Beach-Fountain Valley clubs largest annual fundraiser. In 1968 Arnold was a founding board member of the California Special Olympics and still plays an active role in the organization’s events. In 1975, he was selected as one of California’s Five Outstanding Young Men (FOYC). Ed was the 46th President of the California Jaycees, served seven terms as president of the Orange County Multiple Sclerosis Society, five terms as president of the Southern California Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, two terms as president of the Southern California Sportscasters Association and was the charter president of the Fountain Valley Rotary Club.
Among the many honors Arnold has received are the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the March of Dimes, the “Breath of Life” from Cystic Fibrosis and the “2001 Visionary of the Year” award from Coastline Community College. Other tribunes include West Coast Father of the Year, the Foundation Valley “Distinguished Service Award” and the “Distinguished Citizen Award” from the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame. Second Harvest Food Bank has named their “Humanitarian of the Year” Award in Ed’s name and Santa Ana College has honored Ed by adding his name to the annual SAC golf tournament.
Five times the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association named the KTLA sports team of Ed and Stu Nahan as the “Best Television Sports Anchor staff”. Ed and his wife, Dixie, were honored with the “Americana Award” as Orange County’s “Man and Woman of the year” in 2003.
Ed and his wife, Dr. Dixie Arnold who is the Chair of the Liberal Studies Department at Vanguard University, make their home in Fountain Valley. Their son, Dean, daughter-in-law, Rachel, and grandsons, Jacob and Luke, also reside in Fountain Valley.
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