Pictured: Angie Calleros gives some last-minute instructions before the start of the toy giveaway.
Telling the story, Farnsworth Park's recreation supervisor Angie Calleros was in tears.
When she contacted Altadenablog on Tuesday, they hadn't yet collected any donated toys from the community for the park's annual holiday party and toy giveaway for deserving children. Due to budget cuts, the event is run on a shoestring, and the park depends on community donations to make it happen.
But once the word went out, the community mobilized: many individuals, businesses, and other reached out to help the children who were coming to the party. Webster's Fine Stationers and Webster's Community Pharmacy helped out, as did the Altadena Town & Country Club. The California Highway Patrol offered toys from the drive they were conducting for the season as well. Many, many individuals and families from Altadena showed up with toys in hand.
And notably: The Audrey Hepburn Foundation delivered $1,500 worth of toys to the park, Calleros said. They called soon after the story appeared, she said.
So -- with the help of Calleros' family and volunteers from the senior softball teams who play in the park, because the park couldn't afford staff for the event -- there was a happy holiday after all.
Senior softball players staff the goodie table.
African drumming was some of the early entertainment at the gathering.
