MOORPARK : ‘Catch a Star’ Gathers Gifts for Needy Youth

They have been busy for months, getting ready for Christmas.

Connie Lawrason, Cathy Hunter, Mary Wozniak and Trisha Montgomery--all wives of current and former Moorpark City Council members--decided in March that they wanted to give presents to teenagers who wouldn’t normally receive them during the holidays.

Calling the effort “Catch a Star,” the women scoured the community for donations to buy gifts for needy young people, ages 11 to 18.

“We wanted to get presents for the kids that are looked over,” said Montgomery, who came up with the idea after reading about similar efforts in other cities.

Tapping into local schools and charities, the women had qualifying youngsters fill out applications describing themselves and revealing what they wanted for Christmas.

Most wanted clothes. A few asked for in-line skates, soccer balls and bicycles. Some even wanted food.

Montgomery showed the scrawl of a 10-year-old boy: “See that, he just wanted a hamburger for Christmas,” she said. “And we made sure he got gift certificates for a couple of hamburgers.”

The women also petitioned local community groups for support.

“The response is just overwhelming,” said Connie Lawrason, the mayor’s wife. “I get choked up when I talk about how generous this community is.”

After collecting some donations and finding needy kids, the women put stars on a Christmas tree in the city’s community center. Each star revealed a child’s Christmas wish.

At a special gathering after Thanksgiving, local residents “caught a star” and bought gifts for the youngsters. Donations were used to buy gifts for youngsters whose stars were not chosen.

“We made sure no one was going to be left out,” Montgomery said. The women said they raised nearly $10,000 in gifts and donations, and were able to provide gifts to more than 200 children.

“We got very good at wrapping,” said Cathy Hunter, looking at a portion of the gifts that were piled in her living room and set for delivery.

The gifts were delivered last week by local firefighters.