LAGUNA BEACH : Youngsters Bring Gifts to Shelter

Like elves bearing gifts, a bus full of schoolchildren arrived Thursday morning at Friendship Shelter with freshly baked bread, Christmas tree ornaments and almost $400 cash meant to brighten the holidays at the city’s only homeless shelter.

More than 50 youngsters bound up the stairs and filled an upstairs sitting room where, moments before, three residents had quietly untangled strands of lights for a bare Christmas tree in the corner of the room.

The youngsters, all from the Community Learning Center, an alternative-education program at Top of The World Elementary School, carried handmade ornaments, bright red stockings and cranberry scones for Christmas morning. Paul Lithgow, a 26-year-old resident, exchanged greetings and high-fives with several boys: “Hey dudes, how’s it going?”

As they deposited their gifts, the first- through fourth-grade children took turns telling how they earned money to help shelter residents. A youngster with freckles and bright blue eyes said he created a money-making magic show, another boy sold used books on the school playground and a third child washed cars.

One young entrepreneur raised $31 selling lemonade during a school soccer game. Kyra Pitt, 10, earned $15 doing household chores with her 7-year-old brother, Ryan.

“I like helping people,” she said.

And 6-year-old Amanda David, who wore a crimson sweat shirt with “I Believe In Santa Claus” on the chest, said she broke her piggy bank to get money for the shelter.

Teacher Kathie Reynolds said she is proud of the children’s response to a community need.

“It represents so much hard work on their part, and thoughtfulness,” she said.

Heather Davis-Barton, the day supervisor, thanked the children and said, “We wouldn’t have ornaments for the tree if you hadn’t come or any decorations for the house.”

It was the third year that youngsters, parents and teachers from the school have focused their efforts on Friendship Shelter, director Colin Henderson said.

“It’s kind of glaring as far as what most people expect to have at Christmas and what people in the shelter can expect,” Henderson said. “A lot of people in the shelter get extremely depressed in the holiday season. It reminds them of Christmas in childhood when things were much easier.”

Thursday morning, after the youngsters piled back onto the bus and quiet again settled over the sitting room, Lithgow smiled broadly and said he will help decorate the tree with the boxes of ornaments and paper chains that were left stacked nearby.

“It helped me get in the spirit a little more,” he said.