The Crowd

B.W. Cook

Tim Drom, chaplain at the Village of Childhelp in Beaumont, Calif., stood

before a crowd of some 800 guests assembled in the ballroom of the Hyatt

Regency Hotel and shared the story of a young boy named Jimmy, a resident

of the facility that cares for abused, neglected and abandoned children.

It seems Jimmy was playing ball with some of the other kids and

accidentally got an elbow in his eye. Typical kid’s stuff on the field.

No harm done. The game went on. And Jimmy ended up with one major swollen

black eye.

The next morning, Jimmy was heading down the hall to catch the bus for

school. The Childhelp nurse cautioned him that his black eye was probably

a good reason to stay home for a day or two until it healed. In other

times, in other places, a black eye might be a kid’s greatest trophy. But

today, especially for a kid from Childhelp, the black eye might be a

magnet for trouble.

Jimmy was first a little surprised at the nurse’s suggestion. After all,

it was just an accident that happened in a simple game. While standing in

the hall talking, every kid that walked by heading for the school bus

made a big deal about the black eye out of concern for their fellow

Childhelp friend. But the young boy knew what the nurse meant. He told

her, “It is so nice to be appreciated. I think I’ll stay home today.”

The 800 supporters of Childhelp came together last week for a holiday

luncheon and fund-raiser to ensure that Jimmy and thousands more like him

have a place to call home; so they can stay home when they need to and

heal. Heal from an innocent wound on the playing field; and heal from

much deeper wounds inflicted by cruel life circumstances.

Started more than 40 years ago, Childhelp has grown both in support and

in need. Originally created to care for unwanted orphans left behind by

U.S. servicemen in Korea, Childhelp today is a leader in care for

children suffering the ravages of all sorts of domestic violence, abuse

and abandonment. It is shocking that such a great need exists in such a

civilized time. Some say it’s worse than ever.

So the ladies and gentlemen of Newport-Mesa and all of Orange County who

support Childhelp’s work, gathered in the spirit of holiday giving to

make a difference in the lives of Jimmy and so many more.

A shining star in the large crowd was a young woman who, along with her

younger brothers, once had a bed of her own at Childhelp. Amy Taylor had

grown up, excelled in high school and was headed to UCLA on a Fulbright

scholarship when the news came that her younger brothers would be

separated and sent to different foster homes.

Taylor rejected her scholarship to UCLA, instead finding several

part-time jobs in order to keep her brothers together under the same

roof, supported by this courageous and righteous teen.

Taylor came to the podium at the Childhelp luncheon and just waved at the

crowd. There were no words to speak. The crowd had just been told that

Amy had managed to adopt her younger brothers, so there would be no more

fear of losing her family. Applause circled the cavernous ballroom in an

infectious manner, growing and feeding on itself like some wildfire -- a

wildfire of sheer joy.

Amy and Jimmy are the real side of Childhelp. Far beyond the privilege of

a lovely holiday lunch, the genuine inspiration for sharing to make the

world a better place for others far less fortunate was evident to all in

attendance.

Co-chaired by Pam Butler and Katherine Meredith with a committee

including Pam Arnett, Barbara Ganahl, Eileen Saul, Natalie Tabb and Gemma

Wolf, to name only a few, the afternoon was clearly filled with holiday

joy.

Also in the crowd were Patti Edwards with her mom, Marge Dayton, Carol

Packard, Robin Sanders, Janet Terrell, Jodi Geoffroy, Nora Johnson,

Marilyn Fratt, Debbie McCarthy, Carol Malouf, Heydie Frazee, Donna Clark,

Jeanne De Vries and Linda Giannini.

* B.W. COOK’s column appears Thursdays and Saturdays.