COUNTY'S BEEN GIVEN EVERYTHING BUT KITCHEN SINK.

Byline: Troy Anderson Staff Writer

A Van Nuys company gave a piano last week to Los Angeles County UCLA-Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar for the musical enjoyment of patients.

A modern-day Santa Claus has donated toys to the county Social Services Department for the past two years, purchasing $25,000 in toys for children this Christmas.

And a Newport Beach man gave the county $63,407 in Cisco stock in July as a repayment for welfare benefits his mother received long ago.

These are among the thousands of donations Los Angeles County government receives each year to help children, the sick and the less fortunate.

The gift of $25,000 in toys, the largest ever, came from a man who asked to remain anonymous. He also gives books, learning toys and toys suited for children with developmental disabilities.

``I wish we had more Santa Clauses like him,'' said Esther Martinez, director of volunteer and special services programs for the Department of Public Social Services.

Since mid-1998, corporations, individuals and other donors have given $19 million in cash and gifts, including $896,230 so far this fiscal year, $11,082,200 in 1999-2000 and $7,104,777 in 1998-99, according to county donation reports.

The pace of giving usually quickens around Christmas and the county is flooded with toys, clothes and every item imaginable.

Since 1998, the largess has included 25 baby CPR mannequins from Baywatch Productions to train lifeguards, 120,000 fire safety coloring books for children, 208 cellular telephones for registrar-recorder workers to keep in touch on Election Day and four Honda all-terrain vehicles for the Lost Hills sheriff's station.

The gifts arrive in a variety of forms: cash, land, equipment, vehicles, toys, tickets, plants, food and animals.

A Burbank resident donated 15 koi worth $2,500 to the county arboretum.

A Beverly Hills man gave a 6-foot Cycas Revoluta sago palm tree worth $3,000 to a county park.

A Bellflower business donated $500 worth of cat food and flea control products for the county animal shelters.

And on Thursday, Van Nuys-based Keyboard Concepts donated an upright piano to Los Angeles County-UCLA Olive View Medical Center.

``It's because we have an employee who has been writing to them for two years,'' Chief Operating Officer Carolyn Rhee said. ``She plays the piano and wants to play for our patients. We think it's wonderful to be able to provide some live music to patients.''

HOW TO GIVE

Since two needy boys were caught stealing toys from a dime store in 1934, the county has operated a toy loan program for children. There are 41 toy loan centers, including the San Fernando Valley's first center, the newly opened Pacoima Urban Village Toy Loan center, 12700 Van Nuys Blvd.

It is open Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. To donate toys or for more information, call [phone].

Donations to all county departments can be made by calling [phone].

CAPTION(S):

box

Box: HOW TO GIVE (See text)