Lake County >> It’s not very often you come across a nine-year-old spearheading their own fundraising campaign. But Faith Hornby has always been on the ambitious side.
The reigning Miss Lake County began Faith Funds after attending a cancer support group with her mother, who works as a makeup artist. Hornby was so moved by the women she met, she decided to help in any way she could. It was then that she began raising money for breast cancer patients.
Through her first fundraiser, Hornby racked up enough money to pay for 10 portable DVD players for patients to use during chemotherapy. She also began acquiring wigs for those who had lost their hair to treatment. “All the women felt like they weren’t beautiful,” Hornby said. “I said, we should find a way to make cancer survivors and patients feel more beautiful about themselves.”
Nearly a decade later, she’s still active with fundraising. In 2011, when Hornby won Miss Outstanding Teen at the Miss Lake County Pageant, Faith Funds was her platform — each contestant is required to have a platform, and breast cancer was the cause she was most passionate about. She took the project on to win Miss Lake County this year, and she will continue fundraising as she heads to compete at Miss California. There she hopes to score a spot in the top 15. “They [the Miss America Program] always taught their girls that volunteerism is the most important part of being successful as a young woman,” Hornby explained. “No matter where you are it’s so important to volunteer for something that hits your heart, for something you want to stand by.”
For her most recent venture, Hornby recorded a CD of classic covers from “Bennie and the Jets” to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” to “Make You Feel My Love.” One of the eight songs features Hornby’s father, Shaun Hornby of LC Diamonds fame. And the guitarist backing her on each track is Alex Rein, one of Hornby’s high school comrades and a music major in the Bay Area. The entire project was professionally recorded in Keith Gaudette’s studio, City of Lights. “I wanted other Lake County musicians to be involved in it, too, in a way,” Hornby said.
From talking with patients, she had heard complaints that treatment is often boring and distractions are more than welcome. As a long-time singer and trumpeter, Hornby figured a CD was the prefect vehicle to raise both funds and spirits. Plus, music is often a good money-maker.
The best way to describe the CD would be heartfelt, Hornby said. She wanted the music to elicit good vibes and optimism. “I think it’s the most important thing to stay positive through treatments,” she said. “Over everything, stay positive.”
All proceeds from the CD will go to Lake County cancer patients and cancer groups. Hornby has some idea as to where the money will go, from new technology for the chemotherapy center to local events like the breast cancer awareness walk. But she can’t make any decisions until she sees the final figure. “It all depends on how much the community is wanting to really give,” she said. “With the tragic fires that happened, our economy isn’t so great right now.”
One thing is for certain though: all money will remain in the county. “I’m Miss Lake County, I think it should stay in Lake County,” Hornby said. “Our county needs it, our county needs every little penny. A penny should not go outside Lake County in my opinion. It was made in Lake County, it stays in Lake County.”
It’s clear that Hornby is deeply passionate about her community. Though she’s currently attending school at Shasta Junior College, where she holds down a job and plays in three bands on top of her academic studies, she drives home nearly every weekend to attend to her Miss Lake County duties. Just this past Thursday night she made the two-and-a-half hour trek for a Rotary breakfast meeting at 7 a.m. the next morning. But she’s not exhausted. She’s thrilled to be representing the area. “It’s always good to come home and support my county. That’s what my title is about,” Hornby said. “Any little event that I go to really counts. It really helps me prepare for Miss California in June.”
Hornby’s CDs are sold on a donation basis, and any amount helps the cause. CDs are available at Skin Fitness, Hornby Restoration and the Lake County Chamber of Commerce in Lakeport.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
