Caroling on the Keys : Children, Foster Parents Enjoy a Special Cruise

The quiet waterways of the Ventura Keys echoed with the voices of singing children Tuesday evening as about 20 of Ventura County’s foster children and foster parents embarked on a special Christmas caroling cruise.

“I am excited because it is fun,” said a 6-year-old girl in a bubble gum-pink down jacket, braving the chilly sea air for the first boat ride of her life.

“It is better than being home,” said a more nonchalant 13-year-old boy, one of the few who did not join in the caroling, preferring to listen instead to rock music on his headset.

But most of the children, who ranged in age from 15 months to 15 years, huddled in a semicircle on the deck of the Sunfish and piped out the lyrics to such songs as “Jingle Bells” and “Frosty the Snowman.”

They peered raptly at James Cook, the guitarist who was leading them, and showed more enthusiasm than actual familiarity with the words.

Those children who didn’t sing looked up at the sky and took turns guessing at the constellations.

“I think it’s the Big Dipper,” one child said.

“Nahh,” another replied.

They looked to the left and to the right of the boat, marveling at the rows of cheery houses decorated with holiday lights. The luxury duplexes, with decks and boats parked in the water, were a glimpse into another world for the children, many the victims of physical and sexual abuse in the homes of their natural families.

A couple and a child emerged from one of the houses, and in the half-darkness waved at the caroling children.

On the boat, the children’s foster parents stood at the edges of the semicircle, sometimes joining in the singing. They said they were grateful for the chance to take their foster children out since entertainment is frequently squeezed out of their tight budgets.

Rose Perez, an Oxnard resident who recently adopted her two foster children, said her daughters, ages 6 and 7, were thrilled at the prospect of the cruise.

“They have been ready since they got out of school,” Perez said.

The cruise benefits the children in other ways as well, said Sandi Cooper, a Simi Valley resident and foster parent to five children. She said the cruise helps to reduce the isolation that many foster children experience.

“They are finding out there are other kids in these situations. Oftentimes they come and think they are the only one,” Cooper said.

The cruise was the first of four free cruises offered this month by the Children’s Services Auxiliary, a volunteer organization that helps Ventura County foster children and their foster parents.

Eric N. Loos, a Ventura marketing consultant, introduced the idea of the cruise to auxiliary members, and together they worked to bring a night of caroling, holiday cheer and sea air for the children. Island Packers Cruises, a local touring company, donated the cruises, and Cook and his singer wife, Holly, volunteered to lead the children in caroling. Loos, a licensed officer with the U.S. Merchant Marine, said he wanted to expose the children to the pleasures of the sea. In the past two years, Loos has organized a similar cruise for foster children in the Long Beach area.

An estimated 50 foster families and their foster children will be served by the Ventura cruises, said Daryl Woodward, a social worker with the Children’s Services Division of the Ventura County Social Services Agency. The county has more than 650 children in foster care each month, Douglas Miller, the division’s deputy director, said.

In addition to the cruise, the Children’s Services Auxiliary regularly gives care bags to new foster children. The bags come complete with a stuffed animal, toiletries and pajamas.

The auxiliary also donates $3,000 to $5,000 each year to the Children’s Services Division to provide for those medical needs not covered by Medi-Cal. Braces, for example, are a common need among children, Auxiliary President Joan Roberts said. The Auxiliary also helps pay for any special needs foster children might have, such as music lessons and field trips, Roberts said.

The Auxiliary was formed in 1983 and relies on private donations and fund raisers.