VOLUNTEERS PLAY SANTA CLAUS TO REGION'S NEEDY.Byline: Daily News Christmas came a few days early for some of Southern California's neediest families this weekend. From Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. to Skid Row skid row a run-down area frequented by alcoholics. [Am. Culture: Misc.] See : Alcoholism Skid Row district of down-and-outs and bums. [Am. Usage: Brewer Dictionary, 1008] See : Failure in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , volunteers delivered recently wrapped presents, food and clothes Saturday to parents and children who might not otherwise have had the luxuries of the season. The morning kicked off at St. Paschal Baylon Saint Paschal Baylon (or Pascal Baylon) (24 May 1540–17 May 1592) was a Spanish friar and is a saint in the Roman Catholic Church. He was born at Torre-Hermosa, in the Kingdom of Aragon, on 24 May, 1540, on the Feast of Pentecost, called in Spain "the Pasch of Church in Thousand Oaks, where the Men's Club hosted its annual Christmas party for local families, complete with lunch, a magician, a clown and an appearance by Santa Claus Santa Claus: see Nicholas, Saint. Santa Claus jolly, gift-giving figure who visits children on Christmas Eve. [Christian Tradition: NCE, 1937] See : Christmas Santa Claus . Children each received a present and goody bag filled with candy and fruit. Parents were given food baskets and supermarket coupons for buying turkey and perishables. ``It's really for the kids, so they can have a Christmas like they see advertised on TV. It puts a smile on their faces,'' said Lisa West, with St. Paschal Baylon. ``The community also knows we're here to help them during Christmas.'' In North Hollywood, L.A. Family Housing hauled in 11 tons of snow to its Sydney M. Irmas Transitional Living Transitional Living for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Transitional living is a restructuring of an old concept. The early centers for living were known as Halfway or Three-Quarter houses and usually were in existence for the provision of shelter for people who were Center to give children a chance to experience their own white Christmas A white Christmas, to most people in the Northern Hemisphere, refers to snowy weather on Christmas Day. This phenomenon is far more common in some countries than in others. . And gifts - donated by Angelenos - were handed out to formerly homeless children, who ranged from infants to late teens. Los Angeles police officers and civilian employees at the Van Nuys Area Community Station held their annual Children's Holiday Party, handing out 200 gifts to needy children in their patrol area. It's a tradition that lets officers show their softer sides and play Santa for a day. ``We like to give back to the community,'' said Sgt. David Rosenthal. ``No kid should go without a present during the holiday season.'' Over at the Holy Family Mission Church in North Hollywood, State Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, arranged to help hand out gifts to some 700 kids. The presents were purchased by donations by local businesses and Alarcon. The Pacoima Temple Corps League of Mercy planned to deliver 1,000 gifts to patients in convalescent con·va·les·cent adj. Relating to convalescence. n. A person who is recovering from an illness, an injury, or a surgical operation. convalescent 1. pertaining to or characterized by convalescence. 2. homes. Downtown, hundreds of volunteers planned to hand out new donated toys, blankets and bags of groceries to children and families at the Fred Jordan Mission on Skid Row. Mickey and Minnie Mouse - courtesy of the Walt Disney Co. - were scheduled to perform for the children. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) A clown entertains two boys at a Christmas party at St. Paschal Baylon in Thousand Oaks on Saturday. (2) At St. Paschal Baylon Church, a pile of gifts is designated for needy kids. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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