SANTA ANA : Disabled Get Kiwanis Aid at Yuletide

Six-year-old Glen Barber clutched a small, colorful ornament in his hand and directed his wheelchair toward the giant Christmas tree in the lobby of Glen Harvey School.

After some hesitation, the blond-haired youngster picked a branch on which to hang his miniature snowman and smiled. Christmas, he said, is his favorite time of year.

“I really want drums, but my mom said they make too much noise,” Glen said.

The first-grader, who wears a special helmet to protect him when he suffers seizures, was one of more than 150 physically handicapped students who participated in a special Christmas tree decorating ceremony Wednesday.

The ceremony, sponsored by the Santa Ana Kiwanis Club, officially begins the school’s holiday season, Principal Christine Anderson said.

While many of the students carefully searched a nearby table for just the right ornament, 18-year-old Michele Shiroma quickly grabbed a likeness of Mrs. Santa Claus and proceeded to hang it on the 9-foot-high tree.

This year’s ceremony had special significance for the graduating senior because it was her last one at the school, which she has attended for 14 years.

“It’s like a family here, and Christmas is always really fun,” said Shiroma, who has cerebral palsy.

Kiwanis Club members helped the students hang the ornaments, a process that was difficult at times because most of the students must use a wheelchair, cane or walker.

“Some of the kids are able to hang the ornaments on their own, but they are all paired with a Kiwanis member because it’s a symbolic time for the kids and the Kiwanis to really help each other,” Anderson said.

The Kiwanis Club has been active in the school’s activities since 1983 when, at the last minute, members pitched in to help with the school carnival when it was in danger of being canceled.

Two years ago, the club officially “adopted” the school through the Santa Ana Unified School District’s School/Business Partnership Program.

In addition to buying the school a Christmas tree each year and helping students decorate it, club members also buy each student a Christmas present.

But the spirit of giving doesn’t end at Christmas.

The club organizes the school carnival each year and selects an outstanding student each month. The club also wants to build the county’s first playground designed specifically for the handicapped at the school.

“The Kiwanis are a very important part of Carl Harvey School,” Anderson said. “They really love our kids and come through for them.”