GROUPS CREATE EASTER CHEER FOR VETS.

Byline: Bettie Rencoret Senior columnist

The Easter Bunny will leave presents for hospitalized veterans again this year, and all because the Quartz Hill Women's Club cares.

The club spearheaded a drive last year to supply boxes backed with shirts, socks, toiletries, playing cards, stationery, stamps and other items to 50 patients at the Sepulveda Veterans Administration convalescent hospital.

The men were so thrilled, club leaders thought they'd try for 100 this year, but ended up making 170 - thanks to help from other local groups.

``We thought 100 boxes was a little optimistic, but we were determined to make a stab at it,'' club member Rita Wood said. ``Our fund-raisers netted $1,000 to buy most of the stuff, then other people made contributions of items or money. We made our goal and went over it.

``We always accept any help we can get,'' she said, ``and the response from others was so great this year that we were able to triple our original goal.''

With money needed for personal items to make up the boxes, Wood's group and the Quartz Hill Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary put together a patriotic luncheon, a soup bonanza and a sale of specialty pens, with all of the proceeds earmarked for the project.

The project also served as a kind of mixer as representatives from all of the participating groups joined the Women's Club volunteers to help do the packaging.

Working in the VFW Post 3000 meeting room, club members packed boxes shoulder to shoulder with members of the VFW Auxiliary and the Marine Corps League.

In one afternoon, the ``bunnies'' packed 150 boxes with such things as new T-shirts, socks, toiletries, combs, lip balm, coin purses, Kleenex packets, emery boards, pens, key chains, decks of cards, stationery and stamps.

While there was a slight variation in contents from box to box, all were essentially the same. Every box was then gift wrapped in colorful paper and tied with bright ribbon.

By the end of the afternoon, 150 gifts were ready to go, yet more contributions kept rolling in.

Some smaller organizations wanted to help. The Silver Lining Express from the Antelope Valley Senior Center packed their own boxes, put content labels on the outside and delivered them to Wood.

``Mr. and Mrs. Dale Michaelson did their own too and brought us six beautifully decorated packages,'' Wood said.

By the time the final tally was in, there were 170 Easter gift boxes to distribute.

``There may not be that many veterans in the nursing home when we go down this time, but that's OK,'' Wood said. ``The director in Sepulveda has already anticipated that and asked our permission to send any leftover gifts to veterans in other health care facilities nearby. We agreed to that since we want sick veterans, wherever they are, to know that we care about them and can never thank them enough for all their sacrifices for us.''

Alta Crusan, president-elect of the California Federation of Women's Clubs Sierra-Cahuenga District, said the work is worth the response.

``I'm tired, but it's worth it when I remember one grateful guy last year. Tears actually welled up in his eyes as he said, `I guess we haven't been forgotten after all.' I'll never forget that.''

Phil Reilley and Pat Murray were there for the Marine Corps League, and President Merrie Profitt headed up the VFW Auxiliary contingent along with Jo Money, the publicity chairman, and Doris Kuch.

Among the QHWC crowd were Doris Critser, Evelyn Anderson, Jin Ja Karleen, Sandy Blackmore with grandson Chris Blackmore, Anna Burton, Alma Crockard, Pat Nichols, Jackie Reed, Mary O'Malley and Reba Nash, a charter member.

In addition to the individual boxes, the committee put together one huge, communal Easter basket which contained traditional seasonal goodies, both regular and sugar-free.

``After getting all that together, we found out it wouldn't be allowed because of the temptation it would place before the diabetic patientBs,'' Wood said.

The candies were donated instead to the Quartz Hill beauty queen contestants to make up Easter favors for residents at Mayflower Gardens.

``We had $300 left over,'' Wood said, ``so we returned half of it to our club treasury to start a special endowment fund for the new veterans home when we get it here. At the appropriate time we'll use whatever we have accumulated to buy something big for it. The rest of the money went into the VFW Auxiliary hospital fund. They made a major contribution to all our efforts.''

LANCASTER - Coordinator Helen Doyle says new members are welcome for the ladies' pool group at the Antelope Valley Senior Center, 777 W. Jackman St.

``Several of us have been playing pool on Ladies Day for 15 years or more,'' she said. ``We'd like to have more women join us. If you are a senior new to the area and the center, come on out and play. There are no dues, just lots of good fun and exercise.''

The women rack the balls and chalk their cues on Monday mornings at 8 a.m.

LANCASTER - Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and Pearblossom have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk for the suggested congregate donation of $2.

Monday: Beef macaroni casserole, Italian vegetables, tossed salad, orange/grapefruit sections.

Tuesday: Polish sausage with cabbage, parsleyed potatoes, carrot coins, marinated vegetable salad, cookies.

Wednesday: Meatloaf with gravy, mashed potatoes, corn, tossed salad, banana.

Thursday: Barbecued chicken, noodles Romanoff, Normandy vegetables, garden salad, cheesecake.

Friday: Spanish rice casserole, refried beans, peas and carrots, lettuce-and-tomato salad, juice, Jell-O with pears.

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Photo

PHOTO Doris Critser, left, Rita Wood, Merrie Profitt and other volunteers pack Easter gift boxes for veterans.

Bettie Rencoret/Special to the Daily News