Church Youth Playing Easter Bunny

A dozen teenagers learned Friday that a bit of work and a little time can make a big difference.

The teens, who belong to a youth ministry group at St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church in Los Alamitos, spent the afternoon boiling and decorating eggs to fill Easter baskets that they will give to homeless children today at Southwest Community Center in Santa Ana.

“I can’t give millions of dollars or anything, but I can give some of my time,” said 15-year-old Sarah Erb of Los Alamitos. “I wake up on Easter morning to see what the Easter Bunny brought me, but other kids wouldn’t have an Easter without our help.”

The teens will distribute 145 baskets filled with eggs, pinwheels, candy and toothbrushes to children 12 and younger. They will also have gifts to hand out to homeless adults: washcloths, soap, razors, toothbrushes and toothpaste.

The needy will receive the gifts at a 1 p.m. Easter party at the community center.

“We don’t have money in our budget for holiday parties,” said Connie Jones, the center’s director. Without the youth group, “this could not happen.”

This is the second year that the teens have helped the homeless at Easter. Last year, they bought fast-food hamburgers to feed homeless adults.

The group’s 13 members are in a two-year program at the church working toward their confirmation, scheduled for April 25. The group meets weekly to talk about life issues such as sex, smoking, drinking and family relations. The teens also decided they wanted to do community service.

“It makes you appreciate things a little bit more,” said Kathy Marijanovic, 17, of Seal Beach. “We’re so used to opening the cupboard and grabbing soap--some people can’t even afford that.”

Said Mark Thomas, 16, of Los Alamitos: “We all want expensive stuff like cars and CD players, and if we don’t get it we whine. When you think about these people--all they want is a roof over their heads--you realize what people like us take for granted.”

Last weekend, the youth group raised $304 at a garage sale in the church parking lot. The teens used that money, along with $125 the church donated, to buy the eggs and other gifts for the baskets. Several merchants donated items or sold them to the group at cost.

Billie Chace, the group’s leader, said the teens enjoyed making the baskets and are even more excited about handing them out today.

“They get really emotional, all choked up,” said Chace, 42, of Westminster. “It has taught them how to share, how to have compassion and care for other people.”--LORI HAYCOX