Wish Lists That Go Beyond Toys

Santa and Mrs. Claus were greeted by more than 2,000 smiling faces Saturday when they made a special pre-Christmas appearance at Marco Forster Middle School to pose for pictures and pass out gifts to local children.

Amid a cluster of clowns, mimes and musicians, Santa and his helpers spent the afternoon handing out toys and talking to excited boys and girls, from infants to preteens. The seventh annual Santa Visit, a charitable event sponsored by the San Juan Capistrano Community Task Force, also included a food giveaway in which families were given bags of food or vouchers to buy necessities for the holidays.

“We had fun because we got presents and food,” said Alberto Mendez, 12, who brought his two younger cousins to see Santa and pick up a few presents. “We’re going to have a good Christmas now.”

Task Force president Alva Lefevre said this year the nonprofit group raised $4,500 from the community to buy presents, $1,000 more than they had a year ago. She added that she was excited to see that so many children and parents participated.

“There’s a great need for this in the community,” Lefevre said. “Since it started, it keeps growing every year as more people hear about it.”

Santa’s elves, better known as the Choir Boys, a local motorcycle club, delivered about 1,800 toys to children in two San Juan Capistrano communities who were not able to attend.

Lefevre said the event was entirely a community effort, with the city, local schools, civic clubs, law enforcement and nonprofit organizations contributing time, money or toys.

William Ferrell, associate pastor at the Embassy Christian Center in Irvine, brought 72 of his bible students to help distribute truckloads of presents and food to families.

“The event’s fun and it helps meet the needs of those in the community,” said Ferrell, who has worked with the Task Force on the annual Santa Visit for the past three years.

Community Services Program Inc., a gang prevention counseling organization that works in the San Juan Capistrano area, also volunteered its services. The group donated 200 toys collected from schoolchildren for Santa to hand out.

“It’s such a huge event,” counselor Jesse Gutierrez said. “It really shows the community’s support and dedication to the children.”

The goodwill and hard work of the Task Force and volunteers did not go unnoticed. Many youngsters and parents thanked organizers throughout the day for their kindness.

“I brought my [1 1/2-year-old] twins so they could play and get some presents,” Laura Marques, 22, of San Juan Capistrano said. “The event’s beautiful--and a big help to me.”