VALLEY'S HOLIDAY STOREFRONT HELPS BRIGHTEN LIVES.

Byline: CONNIE LLANOS  Staff Writer

VALENCIA -- Maria Ofelia Sandoval's tired eyes revealed her exhaustion.

The mother of three teens, 13, 15 and 16, Sandoval finishes her shift at a tambourine factory at midnight. Then with barely a few hours sleep, she starts her day before dawn getting her kids ready for school.

With two of her children with special needs, Sandoval hasn't had too many breaks in life.

But as she looked at her pile of gifts Thursday morning, she felt like someone had finally noticed her hard work and given her a hand.

She was among more than 300 anxious mothers and tots who crowded the City Hall parking lot Thursday morning waiting for the doors of the Santa Clarita Valley's second annual holiday storefront to open.

The storefront serves as the distribution center for the thousands of toys collected by the Sheriff's Department during its annual toy drive.

The store is for low-income families who receive red vouchers from city and county agencies and local nonprofits. They pay $3 to get in the door.

Four-year-old Laura De La Luz could barely stand still as she got through the doorway. The brown-eyed girl loved the toys, but a special guest was even better.

``Santa Claus was my favorite,'' she said.

Maria De Jesus Tobar was just as excited to get the present her 5-year-old son had asked her for.

``He really wanted a remote-control car,'' Tobar said, as she dragged her battery-operated Spider-Man rover.

Volunteers, who will offer their time for the remaining three days of the storefront, were also excited.

Freckle-faced 11-year-old Lance Pierce took the day off from school to help pass out gifts. ``I did it last year, and I really like helping people out,'' he said.

As Sandoval waited in the line for complimentary gift wrap, she grew nostalgic.

``When I came here from Tijuana six years ago, to get my two special-education children services, I knew this country would give them so many opportunities,'' Sandoval said.

``Times are hard, but this will motivate my whole family.''

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Toy story

-Families in need of toy vouchers can register with the Newhall Community Center, the SCV Food Pantry, the Child and Family Center and the Department of Social Services.

-For more information, call Deputy Laurie Baylis at [phone].

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Christian Mendez, 8, left, Sergio Silva, 8, and Anthony Mendez, 9, all of Santa Clarita, haul away toys Thursday at the Santa Clarita Valley's second annual holiday storefront.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

Box:

Toy story (see text)