Early Christmas at Shalimar

Lolita Harper

WESTSIDE -- Families gathered at Shalimar Learning Center on Friday

afternoon to exchange gifts around the center’s Christmas tree and, they

hoped, walk away with a traditional holiday symbol of their own.

The owners of Costa Mesa-based Beach ‘n Backyards donated a dozen

Christmas trees and decorative wreaths to the needy families at the

center. Owners Lindy and Galvin Bartlett of Newport Beach said they

wanted to give back to the community.

Unaware that the trees may end up in their living rooms, dozens of

kids hid behind them, tugged on them and ran around them in a holiday

game of hide and seek.

Throughout the commotion, Maria Cortez had her eye on the perfect

tree.

“That one, over there in the corner,” she said.

Cortez said her family usually has a tree but could not afford one

this year. While it pales in comparison to basic necessities such food

and shelter, Cortez said a Christmas tree puts her family in the holiday

spirit. Her two children, Liliana and Alejandro, love waking up Christmas

morning to presents under the tree.

“Without a tree, the kids aren’t happy,” Cortez said in Spanish.

She and her daughter picked out the perfect tree, and soon after the

family carted it off to their apartment down the street. Trees were a hot

commodity, with 150 families gathered at the center and only a dozen

available.

Despite the generosity of the Bartletts and donated gifts from members

of Rock Harbor Church, people said they did not come expecting to receive

anything. In fact, most who came had their hands full of tamales, soup,

cake or other homemade goodies. An air of festivity filled the modest

Westside learning center.

The Rev. Bill Flanagan of St. Andrew’s Church in Newport Beach, which

helped start the learning center, said he came over to greet people and

join in the festivities. In the seven years the learning center has been

open, a lack of food at parties has never been a problem.

“Any time we have a celebration, food just pours in those doors,” he

said. “It’s the families’ way of saying thank you.”

Selina Ceja, who is deaf, also shows her appreciation in nonmonetary

ways. Since September, when her 7-year-old son started attending, she has

cleaned the learning center out of gratitude for her son’s tutoring.

Friday, she helped prepare the snacks for the party.

Flanagan looked around the room full of food, toys and laughing

children and said he was proud of all they had accomplished.

“It’s an amazing place,” Flanagan said. “It’s really galvanized this

community.”

* Lolita Harper covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4275 or by e-mail at o7 [email protected] .