Here, the Play’s the Thing : Toys Are the Life of the Party for Needy Kids

A smile flashed across Adam Martinez’s face as the 8-month-old received his first, and possibly only, Christmas present Saturday morning from Orange County Red Cross volunteers.

“We don’t have anything,” said the toddler’s grandmother, Margo Martinez, 42, while Adam clutched and stared at the white teddy bear in his small hands. “Sometimes, we go without anything for Christmas at all. It makes me feel really sad.”

For some families who can’t afford presents, this year is different. Martinez’s grandchild and about 4,000 others lined up as early as 7 a.m. Saturday outside the Corbin Community Center on West McFadden Avenue for the American Red Cross’ sixth annual Holiday Wonderland and Toy Distribution party.

Ten families from each of Santa Ana’s elementary and intermediate schools were identified by school officials as those “who might not have a Christmas otherwise” and given invitations to the party, said Mark Stier, a volunteer organizer with the Red Cross.

Barney the Dinosaur was mobbed outside by children waiting to get into the gymnasium full of dolls, stuffed animals, model cars and coloring books. Inside, youth volunteers from local schools handed each child a new, unwrapped toy suitable for their age and sex.

This year, more than 4,000 toys were collected from local high schools and businesses, with help of Orange County Red Cross Youth Services and its auxiliary, Orange Pulp. More than 100 youth volunteers spent their Saturday at the center passing out gifts and working with children at crafts tables.

“It’s fun to see all the little kids smiling when they get their gifts,” said Alma Olmos, a 13-year-old student at Lathrop Intermediate School in Santa Ana. “This is better than any other Christmas gift I could ever receive.”

One child in particular caught Olmos’ attention.

“Sometimes people forget to say ‘Thank you’ or ‘Merry Christmas,’ but when I gave one little girl a Barbie doll, she said ‘Thanks,’ and she looked like she was really happy,” Olmos said. “They’ll probably all have a better Christmas.”

Blanca Vasquez, 26, said she wasn’t able to give any of her children presents last year. If it weren’t for the party, this year would have been the same, she said through a translator.

“I don’t have any money to buy toys with, and my son’s school gave me an invitation,” she said as she knelt next to another son, 1-year-old Jeffrey, who squirmed in his stroller as a volunteer tried to paint Santa Claus on his cheek. “I feel bad. The illusion children have is to get toys at Christmas.”

At the party, Vasquez’s other three children, Jesse, 3, Jennifer, 4, and Christopher, 8, got a stuffed animal from Disney’s “The Lion King,” a tea set and a dinosaur figure. Christopher later spent part of the afternoon smearing green and red frosting on Christmas cookies at a crafts table.

“I’m very happy,” Vasquez said. “We’ve never received anything before.”

Steve Lopez, 6, couldn’t have been any happier with his gift--action figures from his favorite Saturday morning cartoon, “X-Men.”

“That’s one of the things he wanted,” said Nancy Lopez, 20, as she and her three children waited in line at the Christmas ornament-making table.

Steve examined his X-Men action figures as his 3-year-old sister, Marie, held onto a large teddy bear.

“It’s great; they really enjoy what they got,” their mother said. “This is really a help. It’s kind of tough during the holidays, especially when you’re a single parent looking for a job. I hope by seeing other (needy) people, they won’t get embarrassed.”

Lopez hasn’t been able to work since she became pregnant with her third child, Raymond, who was born five months ago. She is on welfare but hopes to find a job that will let her work nights so she can be there for her children, she said.

“I don’t plan on coming every year,” Lopez said. “I’m waiting for Raymond to be 6 or 7 months old. (Welfare) isn’t going to get you anywhere. You have to keep trying. You have to have faith. That’s how I look at it.”

Elsewhere, more than 200 people attended a party at Camp Pendleton for the families of Marines deployed to the Persian Gulf. In addition to an appearance by Santa Claus and games and prizes, celebrities from television shows such as “Models Inc.” and movies such as “The Fisher King” were in attendance.

* FOOD BY THE CART IN WESTMINSTER

Abrazar community center volunteers are distributing goods to 500 needy families this weekend. B8