Halloween’s helping hands

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- There may be nothing more touching than kids helping

kids.

It could be as simple as picking up something off the ground or grabbing

an item that is out of reach.

But it meant more for about 200 Corona del Mar High School students

Sunday afternoon. A joint effort that reaps great rewards for today’s

youths was seen at a Halloween carnival in the school’s courtyard.

As part of their graduation requirement to pledge at least 40 hours of

community service, students work with children stricken with

life-threatening diseases. The children are part of the Make-A-Wish

Foundation, a program that grants kids their dreams.

“It’s a good life experience, one that is humbling as well,” said Henry

Eagar, the foundation’s chairman of the board for Orange County. “An

event like this is a way to have the kids get away from the pressures

they face every day with a terminal disease.”

There were smiles on every face as kids dressed in various costumes from

a ballerina to Dracula. Children fished for prizes, tossed balls into

milk jugs and had their faces painted.

Ernest Schimmer was clad in black, complete with a mask over his face.

The 9-year-old couldn’t show his agility from the wheelchair that

confines him. Weakened by leukemia, Ernest is one of many children whose

activities are limited.

His mother, Maria, said she is appreciative of events like the one at

Corona del Mar.

“It gives Ernest a chance to have fun,” she said. “Sometimes there are

children who can do hardly anything and this is a good opportunity. It’s

a good break for them.”

While the children had fun, it was high school students like Sonia Lohiya

who made it possible. Sonia, a 16-year-old senior, heads a task force of

students who plan some of the community-oriented events. Each year,

students donate blood, gather toys at Christmas, and host the Halloween

party.

“This isn’t hard work ... it’s lots of fun,” Sonia said. “I’ve done

activities before where you raise money but here we are interacting with

kids. You really get to see the benefits.”

Lauren Mirowitz, who was manning one of the booths, said she’s glad the

school requires students to participate in community service. Each

student must complete 40 hours of service between ninth and 12th grade,

but some volunteer more than 200 hours during that four-year period.

Lauren, a 16-year-old junior, finished all of her service hours when she

was a freshman.

That doesn’t stop her. Beginning next week she will begin tutoring

elementary school students at Girls, Inc. in Costa Mesa.

“I think it’s important to help out because it can be very rewarding,”

she said. “It also puts things in perspective. We take a lot of things

for granted and this is a way to give back.”