Playing Santa for families in need

Deirdre Newman

The Orange County Fair and Exposition Center bustled with activity

Saturday as hundreds of volunteers helped unload holiday donations

for needy families.

The massive undertaking was part of Share Our Selves’

Adopt-A-Family Program -- the 33rd year the Costa Mesa organization

has enabled low-income families to share in the bounty of Christmas.

“The needs are still there and getting bigger every year,” said

Jean Forbath, founder of SOS.

The program matches donors with families fitting criteria that

they request. This year, donations will go to 1,500 families,

including 6,591 kids, said Therese DeGroot, Adopt-A-Family

coordinator.

The eligible families are identified by caseworkers at schools in

Orange County, including several on the Westside of Costa Mesa.

Un-adopted families also receive gifts from local companies, schools

and groups.

On Saturday, hundreds of donors streamed onto the fairgrounds,

unloading gifts like food, clothing and toys. Energetic volunteers

then brought the gifts into two large buildings with the precision of

a military operation.

Patty and Bob Naruse of Newport Beach and their two children

unloaded a Schwinn bike with a shiny, silver seat for their adopted

family. The Naruses originally got the bike to give to their

four-year-old son, Robert, but decided to donate it when they found

out an eight-year old in their adopted family wanted a bike. Robert,

4, said he liked that decision.

“It made me feel great because I’m giving someone something,” said

Robert.

Wendi Gorsuch of Tustin unloaded a trunk full of boxes, courtesy

of her company, The Concord Group, based in Newport Beach. The

company requested a family with four children, including an infant,

and all the employees pitched in to buy gifts.

“We’re so fortunate that we’re just blessed to have jobs and

clothes to wear,” Gorsuch said. “This father [in our adopted family]

earns minimum wage and has four kids, but can barely pay rent, so

they wouldn’t have Christmas presents if we didn’t do this.”

Some of the volunteers included members of the Girls Scouts

Odyssey Troop 859 from Huntington Beach.

“It makes you feel really good to look at all the toys and imagine

how happy kids will be on Christmas morning,” said Kristi Morse, 15.

The donations dropped off Saturday will be delivered to the

families this week.