Sheriff’s Department Plays Santa : Charity: At annual giveaway, almost 500 children and their parents receive Christmas donations.

If there was one moment that made the last three months of work and preparation worthwhile for Robin Estes, it may have been when 7-year-old Richard Hamblin speechlessly, tightly clutched a new handmade toy biplane--almost as if he couldn’t believe that someone would actually give him such a wonderful gift for Christmas.

But someone did.

Richard and almost 500 other needy children received toys from volunteers with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department during its 13th annual “Share-Iffs” food and toy distribution in Ventura on Friday night.

Estes, a department radio dispatcher, has done most of the organizing for the annual event since she and her fellow dispatchers first decided to spread some holiday cheer to residents down on their luck.

“Thirteen years ago we were sitting around and said we should do something for needy families this Christmas,” Estes said. “It started with us going through Los Robles hospital handing out gifts on Christmas Eve to about 20 people. This year we sent out boxes of food to about 150 families, and gifts for about 500 kids.”

The families were picked by Catholic Charities, the county’s Children’s Protective Services and patrol officers, Estes said. Some of the parents have lost their jobs, or have children with devastating illnesses, she said.

Each family’s name was taken down, their children’s names were carefully recorded, and some kids were even asked what they wanted for Christmas.

First in a line of more than 60 families waiting at the Sheriff’s Department headquarters in Ventura Friday night, 13-year-old Carlos Renteria said he asked for a bike.

As the time approached when the doors would be opened and the gifts handed out, Carlos--barely able to contain himself--jogged in place with anticipation.

“Man, check out the bikes in there,” he said to a friend.

When he finally was allowed to walk inside, volunteers from the department wheeled over a shiny red three-speed, and he quickly took hold of the handlebars. His mother received a box of food with a turkey, eggs, bread and enough fixings for a large Christmas dinner.

“Thank you,” was all Carlos’ mother kept repeating. Carlos just beamed.

Estes was not alone in her efforts. She got a lot of help from the other dispatchers, who wrapped gifts into the wee hours of their night shifts, and she said she had more than enough deputies volunteering to play Santa Claus.

“They all wanted to be Santa,” Estes said. “I think the guys want to be Santa because they see the need out their all the time. This gives them a chance to do something to help, plus they feel appreciated.”

Estes was able to get donations of toys from the Disney Co., along with in-line skates made by the Variflex Co. in Moorpark, and toy wooden planes, cars and rocking horses made by inmates at the county’s Ojai Honor Farm.

Besides the 60 families that came to the department’s Ventura headquarters, dozens of families received gifts in Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks as department volunteers fanned out to deliver the goods door-to-door. Ventura County Sheriff Larry Carpenter, who stopped by after handing out toys at a similar event in Saticoy, said the annual toy drive was a resounding success.

“When the kids see deputies out there in uniform next to Santa, or singing carols, they get a real family feeling,” he said. “They see that we’re all part of the same community and I think that’s important.”

There were a few glitches, such as when the drivers could not find the Barela family’s house. Since their father, a truck driver at Calmat, has been out on strike, times have been tough. His two sons Craig, 8, and Cody, 4, waited for three hours on the front porch for the truck delivering the toys. The family finally had to come in to pick up their gifts.

“I think they were a little worried they weren’t going to get anything this year,” said their mother, Joanne Barela, as Cody happily attacked the wrapping paper on his gift.