Santa Claus, Inc. Christmas Tree Lane Gala, a Success

Community leaders and prominent Inland Empire residents attended the Friends of Santa Claus, Inc. Christmas Tree Lane last Friday night, Dec. 4, at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino. Proceeds benefit Santa Claus, Incorporated of Greater San Bernardino. The Annual Christmas Tree Lane Gala and fundraiser started on a subdued note. Derrick Vasquez, chairman of the Christmas Tree Lane gala and the entire committee led the attendees in a song. San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chairman James Ramos gave a prayer for the people and families of those wounded and killed in the Inland Regional Center terrorist attack. The evening included 16 beautifully designed Christmas Trees by the area’s leading floral designers, gourmet food, live and silent auctions, fabulous boutiques, and dancing. The total for this year has not been tallied yet, but according to Santa Claus Inc. Executive Director Karen DiCarlo, last year’s event raised about $50,000. "The need has increased by over 100% so we are looking forward to the generosity of those that were unaware of the growing need." “Thanks goes to friends to Santa Clause, Inc. and to the Christmas Tree Lane committee,” said DiCarlo. “Having chaired the event before, I know how much work it is. It takes a year’s worth of work to create such an elegant and beautiful event. On behalf of Santa Claus Inc. I just want to thank the committee for all of their hard work.” "Many of the Christmas tree providers are seasoned designers that have been at the Christmas Tree Lane event year after year. Alot of them decorate private homes or work in local floral shops," DiCarlo shared. "For some it is a hobby that they do well. The designers receive $500 dollars to design their trees, but many spend much more than that." Cristian Diaz, with the help of Coordinator Anabel Campos, designed one of the many trees up for grabs -- Hark the Herald Angels Sing. "This is my first year of decorating a tree for this event and I enjoyed it very much. It cost me nearly $1,100 to prepare and dress the tree with gold decorations. The market value of the tree is nearly $1,800 and it took ma 1 1/2 days to do the whole thing," said Diaz, a freelance designer living and working in Santa Ana. Mindy Erickson was the coordinator, and Jill Fogg-Smith was the sponsor, for the tree Memories of Old, decorated with crystal hand-tied decorations and beautiful silver ornaments. The tree took two days to make at the cost of $800. A Peppermint Twist was a created by design team Nancy LeVesque and Leonard Colunga with the help of coordinator Donna Spears. This tree was one that stood out because it came accompanied by two large elves. Many other local florists, artists, and businesses worked hard on the 16 total trees up for grabs at the event. The evening’s Master of Ceremonies was Jimbo from the popular 96.7 KCAL FM’s morning show with Stu, Tiffany and Jimbo. The evening’s auctioneers were Jimbo and Martha Green -- restaurateur, cooking guru, entrepreneur and auctioneer. Green has served the Inland Empire for more than 30 years -- raising more than $2 million for a variety of local charities. “This year, we had a lot of positive input about this year's theme: classically beautiful,” said DiCarlo. All of this hard work raises money to help under privileged children have a good Christmas. Santa is very busy opening the warehouse for distribution through Dec. 15. In the San Bernardino area alone, Santa will be making Christmas a little merrier for more than 18,000 kids, providing donated toys, along with new clothing and books for the county’s most disadvantaged children. DiCarlo is very happy with Santa Claus, Inc.’s growth of service to children. She says they are headed towards serving 100,000 children this year. “We have 8,900 families signed up for our Christmas, it will be a record distribution.” It’s not just Christmas when children need help, Santa Claus, Inc. now delivers year-round children services including backpacks loaded with school supplies. Also, services include delivery of 27,000 pairs of Sketchers shoes to children in need; providing clothes, hats, shoes, coats and toys to needy children and the Birthday Bag program for children whose parents can’t afford to give them a birthday present. “We are also happy to be partnered with the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital in a project called All My Own. This mission gives children who are in foster care or who are all alone in the hospital that have nothing to call their own – clothes, coats, hats, toys blankets, a teddy bear, etc.,” said DiCarlo. "We are also working on a new service project with local law enforcement to get homeless families with children, single women and veterans off the streets and into hotel rooms." “The goal is for the family to stay in the hotel for a night or two while law enforcement connects them with social organizations that can help them get into more permanent housing and begin to put their lives back together,” said DiCarlo. DiCarlo credits Santa Claus, Inc.’s growth to a hard working group of staff and volunteers. The non-profit volunteers include a committed board of directors. They are: Board Chairman - Larry O'Nan, Kathleen Albrektson - Attorney at Law; Kendra Dockham - C.P.A.; Jana Schweppe-Herrera - Executive Director, Villas at San Bernardino; Margie Miller - Owner and Publisher, City News Group; Tony Lourenco - Psychiatric Social Worker; Don DiCarlo - Business Executive. “Santa Claus, Inc.’s extraordinary volunteers really make the magic happen! With an army of 2,000 volunteers nationwide and a core group of over 50 working every week at the workshop, Santa Claus, Inc. pulls off the impossible! Without our invaluable volunteers Santa Claus, Inc. would not exist,” said DiCarlo. For more information on how you can help Santa Claus, Inc. reach their goal of touching the lives of 100,000 little ones this year, call (909) 885-0090.