PANORAMA CITY : Ex-Convict Plays Santa to Blythe Street Residents

When Eddie Ceniceros was released from prison nearly a year ago, he certainly did not feel as if he were part of a community.

Today, however, the community came calling on Ceniceros, who had helped organize a Christmas dinner for hundreds of his neighbors on crime-ridden Blythe Street in Panorama City. The free event was held at the United Auto Workers Hall on Van Nuys Boulevard.

“It’s a pretty neat thing,” said Ceniceros, 30, who was convicted of burglary in 1989 and served 3 1/2 years before being released in January. “Before, I was on the opposite side of the law.”

Ceniceros, who said he now wants to become an entrepreneur, teamed up with local businessman Ted Patterson, several Valley Optimist clubs and City Councilman Richard Alarcon to hold the dinner. The menu featured enchiladas, rice, beans and fast food donated by McDonald’s.

The union hall was brimming with excited children dashing into the open arms of Santa.

“We can’t afford dinners. We can’t afford presents,” said Terri Molina, 28, an expectant mother of six who lives on Blythe Street. “This gives the kids something to be excited about.”

Ceniceros got the idea for the dinner over Thanksgiving, when he helped distribute turkeys to needy families.

“I passed out some turkeys for Thanksgiving and I ran into a situation where some homes don’t have any gas for their stoves,” Ceniceros said. “So I thought for Christmas we could get some people together for dinner.”

Several holiday gifts, including two bicycles, were also raffled off during the festivities.

“I feel like I’ve been freed,” Ceniceros said. “Doing this I’m freed up from the debt I owe to society.”