Sheriff’s officials play Santa during annual Toy and Food Drive

A cast on her left foot and crutches weren’t going to keep 10-year-old Angelica Magaña from getting a head start on Christmas.

On Saturday, she was one of several hundred kids who were given the tantalizing opportunity to pick out their own toys during the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station annual Toy and Food Drive.

PHOTOS: Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station annual Toy and Food Drive

Angelica and her siblings were among the first group of families who were treated to a continental breakfast, allowed to pose for photos with Santa Claus and to pick out a pair of gifts from an entire courtyard filled with toys at Crescenta Valley Park.

“It was kind of tough,” Angelica said of getting around with the crutches.

She hurt her ankle when she landed awkwardly while cheerleading, said her mother, Marisela Magaña.

Although the injury isn’t serious, Magaña said the doctor advised putting her daughter in a cast because she had just gone through a growth spurt and was especially active with extracurricular activities.

Of all the toys she could’ve chosen, Angelica picked the one she won’t be able to enjoy immediately, while she’s stuck with the cast for the next three weeks: a Razor scooter.

But during her recovery, she’ll at least be able to enjoy another gift she picked out.

“I got a book and a scooter,” said Angelica, who hopes to ride the latter around the neighborhood with her friends, after she’s done reading the former.

Around 150 families in need were contacted through their kids’ schools and local service organizations and invited to the giveaway by the sheriff’s station, which collaborated for the second year in a row with the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation Department.

“The cooperation works out really well,” said Capt. Bill Song. “We used to invite people, hand out bags of food and so forth, but we thought it was better to work with county parks, instead of having folks come to the station, which is probably more uncomfortable. This is a more open area, a better setting.”

Toy and food donations were gathered from collection barrels placed at local schools and hot spots. Much of the food donations were driven by the Community of La Cañada Flintridge’s annual Thanksgiving Day Run and Food Drive.

“The donations start rolling in around Thanksgiving,” said sheriff’s Sgt. Cynthia Gonzalez, who has been organizing the event for the past three years. “It starts with the Turkey Trot over in La Cañada and then we start advertising it more.”

Last year, more than 300 children received toys, and Gonzalez said she expected more this year.

“It’s [nice] just knowing that they’re going to have a great Christmas, and we’re helping the parents out,” she said. “The toys may make a difference of whether they’re going to have to cut back on the grocery shopping for the week or put gas in their cars, and this helps alleviate some of the stresses families have.”

Families began lining up early at the park’s community center, well before the 10 a.m. start time. While waiting to be let in, Mrs. Claus met with the children.

“We took a picture,” said 4-year-old Nellie Grigorian of Tujunga.

For her and her sister, Chloe, 5, it was their second year coming to the event, but this time with their friend and first-timer, 4-year-old Emmie Vartanian, of Sunland.

The prospect of meeting Santa excited Emmie.

“She’s coming in five minutes … I mean he. I always have to practice my he, he, he,” Emmie said. “He brought me these Uggs [last year]. This year, I asked for a robot puppy.”

While Nellie’s Christmas wish, a doll house, was plausible, given the mounds of toys available, her sister’s wish was more fantastic.

“A unicorn … a real unicorn,” Chloe said.

“They get really excited and anxious when they’re standing in line. They can’t wait to get in,” said their mother, Violet Ovsepyan. “It’s really nice what they’re doing. The kids get really excited and they’re very generous.”

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Brian Park, brian.park@latimes.com

Twitter: @TheBrianPark