Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus

And he's imbued his
spirit across the community.....

Recently we shared an
article, A Christmas Wish, with you which addressed the "very
sad situation when so many children's reality is that he or she must
list some of the basic necessities of life such as shoes and a
blanket as what they wish for at Christmas. And although some of
these needs were noted by our membership in the past - this year we
realized a FAR greater need for the "basic necessities."

The community response
has been overwhelming; so overwhelming that tears of joy have become
daily occurences. Good Samaritans of all backgrounds come by the Club
to drop off blankets, pillows, food cards, shoes, jackets and toys.
My office resembles a combo Bed an Bath and Toy store.  Two
individuals have come by with $500 checks to spend on the children
who need it most. And an anonymous donor who lives in West  Los
Angeles sent a very sizable donation"after she heard about the
article. The Palos Verdes Young Professionals organized a special
Holiday Gift Card Drive and both National Charity League groups
in Palos Verdes had similar activities for the youth. Lastly a number
of businesses in the area have set up boxes to collect gifts for the
kids.

So
Thank you messengers
of goodwill for bringing joy into the lives of children and a special
warmth into the hearts of all.

And to all, We wish you
and yours a very Merry Christmas....

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

For many of us, the Holiday Season brings feelings of great joy. Thankgiving is a time where everyone takes a moment to focus on all the things they have been blessed with over the past year. Once the turkey is off the table we immediately set our sights on Christmas. And just as the holidays change so does our focus. We tend to forget about what we are thankful for and focus on what we want for Christmas. For most children that is the latest and greatest toy or perhaps a new video game or computer. But for some children, their Christmas wishes are for things that all of us take for granted in everyday life - clothes, shoes, a pillow, blankets, a bed to sleep in, money for the family... these are the real wishes of some of the members here at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

We do not want to paint the picture that all our members are poverty stricken or begging for things; on the contrary, we would not be aware of these needs if it were not for a survey that was done throughout our organization about three weeks ago. The truth of the matter is times are tough for everyone and this Christmas will be especially tough for some families.

Let us take the time to continue to be thankful for our blessings but to also look for ways in which we can help those who need a helping hand. This December, I hope that this blog will be filled with stories of how the community came together to make this Christmas one of the merriest for all the children we serve.