Rotary Gives Holiday Party for Children

Nine-year-old Francisco Garnica wanted Santa to bring him a Mustang like his dad’s.

Mindful that he is too young to drive, Oscar Gonzalez, also 9, said he would settle for a limousine and chauffeur. On Monday, Santa brought both boys cars, albeit small and radio-controlled.

“I like this a lot,” said Francisco, who attends Camellia Avenue Elementary School, along with Oscar. “I can get a Mustang later.”

The 38 other second- through fourth-graders who participated Monday in the Rotary Club of North Hollywood’s fourth annual holiday party for underprivileged children also liked their gifts.

Boys got cars, girls musical jewelry boxes. Both received AM-FM cassette players with batteries.

Four elementary schools in the east San Fernando Valley selected 10 students whose parents may not be able to provide holiday gifts. Rotary Club members donated the presents.

“We want them to have fun like other children,” said Ken Banks, a past president of the Rotary Club who organized the afternoon event at the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn.

The children clearly had fun eating two, three and sometimes four slices of pepperoni pizza off fine china and wiping up their messes with blue linen napkins.

They hugged Santa, laughed at his dark shades and posed for a Polaroid photo with him.

“I like this Christmas,” said Gaby Lucas, 9, a third-grader at Fair Avenue Elementary School. “Everything is nice and pretty.”