GOOD SPORTS TO HELP SCHOOLS FOUNDATION.

Byline: JOANNE CRAWFORD

Sports greats Tommy Lasorda, Ronnie Lott and Bill Walton will be guest speakers at a major holiday fund-raiser hosted by the Antelope Valley High Schools Education Foundation.

The ``Festival of Trees, A Gift to Our Children'' will include a dinner, silent auction of holiday packages and sports memorabilia, and live auction of decorated Christmas trees donated by local nonprofit agencies and florists, said foundation director Jill Harris.

``The reason we are doing this is to raise money for the high school district,'' Harris said. ``We have over 16,000 students in the high school district and the money is for those 16,000 kids. It promotes the entire community and a lot of nonprofit agencies. We're joining in a community friendship that will promote the value of quality of education to improve the quality of life for the children of the Antelope Valley.''

The event will begin at 5 p.m. Dec. 13 in Challenger Hall at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, 155 E. Ave. I. Tickets are $75 a person, $130 a couple or $520 for a table of eight. The deadline to purchase tickets is Dec. 8, Harris said.

Speakers will include Lasorda, a baseball Hall-of-Famer and longtime Dodgers manager; Lott, a former All-Pro defensive back and now a sportscaster on FOX-TV; and Walton, a former UCLA and NBA standout.

The guests will bring sports memorabilia to be auctioned, and will be available to sign autographs, Harris said.

So far about 15 local nonprofit groups and several local florists also are involved in promoting the festival. Representatives from the organizations and businesses will auction off live decorated Christmas trees during the evening.

Money from the sale of trees decorated by florists will go to the high schools foundation, Harris said. Money from the sale of trees decorated by the nonprofit groups will go to the groups.

Major sponsors so far for the festival include Palmdale Disposal, the JetHawks baseball team and Antelope Valley Hospital, Harris said.

About 300 pre-sale tickets already have been sold, and festival organizers expect more than 900 people to attend the fund-raiser, Harris said.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 13, people unable to attend the festival can visit the fairgrounds to watch the tree-trimming.

The festival also includes a contest for local schoolchildren, who can enter original songs, poetry, essays, art or other original works that capture the idea or essence of the festival title, ``Festival of Trees, A Gift to Our Children.''

One entry from each high school and one from each local elementary school district will be selected to be honored the night of the fund-raiser, Harris said.

Entries must be submitted by Dec. 3 to the foundation office at 44845 Cedar Ave.

Nonprofit organizations involved include the American Cancer Society, the Salvation Army, The Children's Center of the Antelope Valley, Grace Resource Center, Allied Arts Association, Community Outreach, and Valley Oasis Domestic Violence Shelter.

Nonprofit participants also include Mothers Against Drunk Driving; Stealth for Youth recreation program; Life Touch; the Antelope Valley Master Chorale; the Palmdale Ensemble, a youth honor choir; the Sheriff's Explorer Club; the School of Academic Excellence; and Tina's Learning Center.

Florists participating in the festival include Fashion Flowers, Antelope Valley Florists, Acton Florists, Rosamond Florists, Buds from the Heart, Velvet Basket and Gottschalks.

High schools in the district that will benefit from the event are Antelope Valley, Palmdale, Quartz Hill, Highland, Littlerock, Lancaster and Desert Winds, as well as the district's two community schools, Harris said.

For tickets, sponsorship information or questions about student talent submissions, call Harris at [phone].