1993_12 Insight December 1993

              Page 10
Insight/California State University, Fresno
December 8,1993
Arts & Entertainmen
Shedding holiday light
on ChristmasTree Lane
Dazzling holiday splendor
By Cindy Starbird	
StaffWriter
In 1920, Mae C. Winning of 4290 Van
Ness Blvd. and one cedar tree began a
tradition that would span at least 73 years.
Winning, and her husband William,
adorned the large tree in front of their
house with colored lights and decorations
in memory of theirson Billy who had died
the previous year.
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the following year, and the holiday memorial snowballed into what Fresnans
now know as Christmas Tree Lane.
By 1930. five entire blocks were covered with festive lights and creative scenes.
The lane has been brightly lit every
year with the exception of 1941 -42 due to
wartime restrictions and 1973-74 because
of an energy crisis.
Today, Christmas Tree Lane spans 18
short blocks, covering 1.8 miles and involving 120 houses, 250 lighted trees and
1,000 strands of lights.
The individual homeowners are in
charge of decorating thcirown lawns and
yards, while the Fig Garden Homeowners
Association is in charge of putting lights
in the trees that line the street. 1993 is the
first year that all of the trees on the lane
will be decorated with lights.
The Homeowners Association, director of Christmas Tree Lane, urges all
houses to participate. Decorations arc
loaned if none is available to them.
4426 Van Ness for eight years, inherited
her classic Raggedy Ann and Andy display from the pre- vious owners of
the house. To it,-Vfthc Des Jardins
tivity scene and
which was
have added a Na-
a Mrs. Beasley
stolen last.
The story of
Jardin's
in the nc
prompted
pletc   "
to   do
new
n d t^H^V Andersen,
and his family^MHr part ic ipaie
faithfully every year, but arc weary of
thefts.
"Because of vandals, wc aren't putting
much on the lawn," he said.
"People tend to steal the spotlights that
light up my sign."
Andersen displays a 7-foot tall NOEL
on his front lawn.
It seems that vandals and thieves arc a
concern for most people on the lane.
On Dec. 20.1981, the Cookie Monster
kidnapping made a prominent story in
local newspapers. However, on Dec. 22,
Fresno County Sheriffs detectives received an anonymous tip and found the
Cookie Monster at the Sunnvside Bowl
on East Kings Canyon Road.
Carol DiFuria's Santa sleigh and three
ofthe reindeer have been stolen. DiFuria
participated in every
decorated season.
"I'm not going to
let those people take
advantage of us,"
DiFuria said. "Wc arc
just going to put some
more out. They arc not
going to get us down."
DiFuria has now
added an angel to her
display to watch over
Rudolph and her remaining reindeer.
DiFuria also says
that nrvmlf* who don't
decorate their yards
are probably older
people who have been
burglarized a lot and
have given up.
Despite the vandals
and thieves, the lane
is a dazzling place for
people of all ages,
filled with holiday
ha'yridcs, Christmas
carolers and a Norman
Rockwell-like charm.
Santa and Rudolph
are only a couple of
the characters.
Winnic-the-Pooh and
friends from The Hundred Acre Wood wish
passers-by a merry
Christmas. Charlie
Brown, the Peanuts gang, Frosty The half-mile project. Today, the project rc-
Snowman and Nutcracker Soldiers arc a quires about $25,000 a year to operate. It
few of the decorations. survives through community volunteers
Steve FtaJtaoto/INSIGHT
CSUF students having fun outside the dorms with snow brought down from the
mountains. The snowman stuck around for 20 minutes.
Linda Des Jardins, who has lived at    has lived on the lane for 13 years, and       In 1930, $500 was raised to finance the    and donations.
Christmas Tree Lane is open from Dec.
2 through Dec. 26. Operating hours arc
Sunday through Thursday, 6-10 p.m.. and
Friday and Saturday, 6-11 p.m.
Salvation Army helps valley children celebrate holiday
Star Tree brings seasonal
joy to Valley children
and volunteers.
By Tina Harvey
Staff Writer
The Salvation Army will bespreading some sharing and caring this season to ihc Fresno community.
Righiafter Thanksgiving, the Army
began its 1993 Christmas Star Tree
program hoping to help nearly 10,000
needy Valley children io give them a
Christmas ihcy would not otherwise
have.
The Salvauon Army completes this
task with help from local residents
who donate their lime and funds.
Without volunteers, ihe Star Tree
program would not work, and thousands oflhc Valley's children would
go without a Christmas.
Gail Smith, a Salvation Army volunteer, began donating her time three
years agoand said nothing could compare to the joy of giving, especially
during this time of the year.
Smith remembcrsa young boy who
was so excited about giving a present
last year ihat he had his parents lake
him ihrough ihc mall.
He bought the present with money
he had been saving for somcihing
special, Smilh said.
"Things like lhal really gel tea
person and make everything worth
while," Smilh said.
The Star Tree program has been
operating since 1987 and has grown
to three Fresno locations, at the
Mane hcsierCcnter, Fashion Fair Mall,
and Barnes & Noble.
Adopters get a star and "Santa
Bag" from ihc StarTreevoluntecrs. A
new article of clothing and a new toy
is asked for each siar adopted.
The "Santa Bags" need to be returned to the Manchester Trccor Fashion Fair Tree before Dec. 20 so the
gifts can be distributed to ihc families. Along with ihegifls, Christmas
food boxes arc provided by the Salvation Army from monetary donations.
Bccauscof ihc community and volunteer support last year, the Army
didn't tum away a single needy child.
"1 anticipate the need for the 1993
season will prove to be our greatest
said Clifford Jones, Salvation
Army commanding officer.
The Army provided loys and c billing for 7,000 needy children last year
and anticipate helping at least 3,000
more this year.
Only children under ihc age of 12
who meet the eligible requirements
qualify for the program.
These requirements include the
applicants picture l.D.; residency;
proof of income; and the child's birth
documentation.
After eligibility has been established die child's sex, age, size, identification number and the date of the
child's scheduled distribution is
placed on a star and then placed on a
tree for adopters to come and pick.
Volunteer positions arc available
at all locations including the distribution center.
Star Tree volunteers work three
hours at a time. Shifts at the distribution center arc four to five hours.
Volunteer applications arc still being accepted.
For more information or applications, call the Salvation Army at 497-
8738, or pick up an application in the
South Gym, Room 111.
Dorm 'Giving Tree' lets students make a child's holiday happy
By Diane Greeley
Staff Writer
The Grinch stole Christmas, but a
group of CSUF sludcnis got it back.
"The Giving Tree" program is an
opportunity for dorm studcnLs to give
gifts lo children whose families can
noi afford presents.
The program, which provides toys
and clothing for children from poor
families, was started lasi year by
Lutheran Campus Ministries, said Don
Romsa, Lutheran Campus Pastor.
The program grew rapidly from its
inception.
"Wc started with 25 names of children with special needs. Wc ended up
taking 40." he said.
This year, when Romsa approached
the resident advisors aboul the possi-
bililicsof sponsoring 40 students, ihcy
were supportive.
"Last year was a big success and
wc felt that ii was a good way to get
into the holiday season and mood."
said Mcllissa Marksbury, 22, resident
advisor in Baker Hall.
"We could help these children, so
wc wanted to."
The resident advisors then look the
plan to their respective residents.
The students who wanted to par-
'The grandmother broke down and
cried...these were probably the*
only gifts the children would receive. "     —Don Romsa
Shopping malls report rampant invasion
of red-suited holiday Santa imposters
By Lori Ash
StaffWriter
They are everywhere. They have
completely taken over. Children and
adults arc flocking to sec ihem.
No, ihey aren't aliens.
They are the retail Santas and they
have invaded shopping malls all over
the country.
Bul how do they get io these shopping malls?
"The Santas used lo travel to the
malls by sleighs and old cars," said
Billie Baird, manager of the Santa
Claus division at Western Temporary
Services. "Now, they descend from
hot air balloons and jump out of airplanes."
Captain Scolty, an air-traffic reporter, dropped a Santa out of his
KMJ helicopter into Fig Garden Village on the day after Thanksgiving.
Santa recruitment began in November.
"Wc look for peopic who have a
twinkle in ihcir eye when talking to
children." Baird said.
A background check is done before hiring takes place.
"We check iheir previous work environments and how they relate to
children," Baird said.
Most oflhc Santas thai work in this
area arc very involved with children
outside of their Santa status.
"Wc have little league coaches and
choir directors." Baird said.
This year Western Temporary Services trained eight Santas for the
Fresno area. Each attended Santa
School.
"Usually a few change their minds
after the Santa school," Baird said.
The school consists of a three-hour
classroom training and one hour of
costuming.
The Santas leam all the Santa rules
during dieir schooling. For example:
- Don't cal, drink or smoke in the
•Know the latest toys. The Santas
arc given current toy catalogs and arc
expected to study them.
•Avoid religious references as religion is personal.
•Don'i make promises without parental consent.
Western makes all its own suits
and has 360 international offices ihat
train Santas.
Although some work 40 hours a
week, the Santas generally work four
to six hours a day and earn S7 to S12
an hour.
During an average season, these
Santas sec 10,000 lo 20.000 children.
Mike Westland is a Santa al Fashion Fair Mall. Hcgcts upcarly lopaint
his eyebrows white and stuff a pillow
in the from of his pants.
"I enjoy the children," Westland
said. "I don't get lo sec my grandkids
very often and this is the next best
thing."
Tim Jcfferics. a Manchester Mall
Santa, says his job is like an extension
of his favorite holiday.
"Il's like Halloween every day fora
month," Jcfferics said. "I gci to dress
up and be someone else. I imagine il
is similar io being an actor and having
lo gel into a certain character everyday."
Al Siena Vista Mall,Susie Martin,
a five-year-Old from Clovis, limidly
approached die large, jolly man wearing a soft, red suit
Once on his lap, she smiled and
laughed as her picture was taken.
"I like him," Susie said. "He will
bring mc toys and I buy him cookies
because I can't cook yet."
The Sania is real-life Tony
DcFcrdis. DcFcrdis has worked as a
Santa for Western for the past four
years and knows all the in>: and outsof
being a Santa.
"You leam to love everybody
equally." DcFcrdis said. "Once you
pul on thai suit, you're different If
you are having a bad day, that bad day
goes away — especially when you
see tlie children smile.'
:>■*
licipaie were given a card widi a
child's
name, age and clothing size.
Two gifts, one of clothing and
ihc other a toy, were purchased by
the students for their child.
Lasi year, these gifts were passed
oul by Lutheran Campus Ministries, but this year, plans have
changed, Romsa said.
A party is planned for Dec. 12 at
Wesley United Mcihodisi Church
in Fresno where the students will
meet ihcir sponsorcdchild and surprise them wiih the gifts.
For many of the children, some
of whom arc from ihcsouthcal
Asian community of EI Dorado
Park, this will be their only Christmas celebration.
Romsa remembered one family
who received gifts last year.
"My son and I delivered some
gilts to one house where a grandmother was caring for two small
children. The grandmother broke
down and cried and said these were
probably die only gifts the children
would receive," he said.
"The father had left them and
the mother was working two jobs
10 make ends meet," Romsa said.
"Imagine the look dieir faces to gel
these four gifts."
The joy of giving to children
like ihis is what prompted the resident advisors to participate.
"One gratification you get is lhal
you helped someone else," said
Marksbury.
"Christmas can get misconstrued and selfish. Il's good lo look
at Christmas as a giving opportunity," she said.
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(209)266-5318
FAX (209)266-1082
3619 E. Ventura Blvd.
Fresno, CA 93702
I 1/1 ru '
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FAX (209)276-9275
4224 W. Shaw Ave.
Fresno, CA 93722
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