Santa comes to Agoura–with many helpers

ANOTHER GOOD YEAR-Above, Caryn Sterling and her daughter, Savanna, 3, wave to the helicopter that's carrying Santa Claus during the Santa Comes to Agoura food drive at the Do It Center in Agoura Hills on Saturday. At left, volunteers bag the food.

Santa had hundreds of helpers Saturday morning at the 23rd annual Santa Comes to Agoura and the Valleys as they gathered in the parking lot of the Do It Center, separating groceries to give to needy families throughout the surrounding areas.

Twenty-three years ago, George and Charlotte Annino began collecting, packaging and distributing grocery items for families who were struggling in the community. The entire operation was conducted in their living room.

In the years that followed, others aware of the Anninos’ project, wanted to be involved, thus multiplying the amount of items to be distributed. Their living room soon became too small for the charitable enterprise.

They moved the project into their garage and before they knew it, it had grown so large that they needed a parking lot. From its inception, the Annino’s children have been involved with helping and at Saturday’s event that help included grandchildren.

Twelve team captains volunteered this year, keeping Saturday’s operation organized and running smoothly. The volunteers were, Kameron Johnson, D.C., Steve Bonifede, Lynda Hofmann, Ann Houseal, Patti Wolfson, Michelle Baxter, Alicia Tyson, Dana Biederman, Cindy Rushing, Andrea Lewis, Jill Kimel and Karen Doran.

This year about 12 local schools participated in collecting groceries for Santa Comes to Agoura. Each school was designated a particular item such as paper goods, canned goods or toiletries, and then brought their collection to the Agoura Hills Do It Center, placing everything out on wooden palettes. From there the items were separated and placed into labeled grocery carts.

Every participant grabbed a brown shopping bag, and put together an assortment of groceries to be delivered to families whose needs have come to the attention of the food drive.

Albertson’s supermarkets donated 100 turkeys to be distributed with the bagged groceries. Each recipient will also be receiving scrip that can be redeemed for groceries.

The volunteer and contributing organizations that helped included the U.S. Postal Service, which donated food for the families, Western Bagel which provided bagels for all of Santa’s helpers, and Starbucks which provided the fuel (better known as coffee). Trader Joe’s also donated cookies and water for the participants. G.I. Rubbish provided trash services.

Following entertainment by the Brookside Elementary School singers, one of them being an Annino grandchild, 12 doves were released from a stage and continued to circle the sky above the parking lot while Father Pierre Albacca from St. Jude’s Catholic Church and Pastor Larry Sullivan from Christian Church of the Hills offered prayers of thanks over the food.

While eyes were still looking toward the heavens, a Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station helicopter appeared carrying the biggest giver of all, Santa Claus. Apparently the reindeer were resting in preparation for Christmas Eve.

He arrived just in time, after all the little helpers were finished bagging. They lined up quickly to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their Christmas wishes.