Restaurant to Help Boy With Leukemia

Three weeks ago, Tarzana resident Judy Schmidt enlisted a local restaurant to help raise money for a cancer-stricken young boy at Wilbur Elementary School.

As a result of her efforts, El Torito restaurant in Tarzana will donate 25% of the checks of customers participating in the fund-raiser today, Saturday and Sunday to assist 8-year-old Billy Hale, who was diagnosed with leukemia in 1995.

“Given the nature of this particular fund-raiser, I’d say it’s a very worthy one because it involves an individual,” said Marisa Iadevaia, marketing representative of El Torito in Tarzana.

Schmidt, the resource coordinator at Wilbur, began handing out fliers Monday to spread awareness of Billy’s plight and this weekend’s fund-raiser.

“I have no clue as to what I’m doing, but I’ve been running into people who have said, ‘If you need help, let me know,’ and they’ve been so nice,” Schmidt said.

Although the Hale family has health insurance to cover Billy’s treatment, Dan Hale said his wife, Angela, will need to take a leave from work during the bone marrow transplant for their son, making it difficult for the family to support their three children.

“It’s really nice of El Torito to do something like this,” Dan Hale said. “I can’t really say enough for them.”

Schmidt said customers without fliers should ask the restaurant manager for one and notify their servers to write a ticket for the fund-raiser.

Reservations for El Torito, 18568 Ventura Blvd., may be made by calling (818) 343-7027. The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. to midnight today and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Those wishing to make contribution to the Billy Hale Fund can contact Wilbur Elementary School at (818) 345-1090.