Seniors, teens play secret angels

Paul Clinton

Even thought Oscar Lara had painstakingly glued animal-shaped

decorations and sprinkled glittery sparkles onto the picture frame,

he wasn’t expecting the reception he got from “Mary H.,” who stepped

forward to take the gift.

Coyly smiling as he handed over the carefully-decorated frame,

13-year-old Oscar giggled as the two embraced.

“I think she liked it,” Oscar said, as he returned to his seat in

the Costa Mesa Senior Center’s auditorium. “Because she wanted a

hug.”

Mary had made a multicolored mini-aquarium for Oscar, who is a

seventh-grader at TeWinkle Middle School. The Costa Mesa boy beamed

after the gift exchange.

“I think it was really interesting and cool to spend some time

with these seniors,” Oscar said. “I got to learn a lot about what

they do.”

He was one of 21 teenagers who spent their Saturday morning at the

senior center’s “Secret Angels in Aruba” event. The Secret Angel

Foundation from Aliso Viejo and Newport Beach-based Leadership

Tomorrow sponsored the event as a way to bridge generational gaps.

“I know it’s been raining outside, but we’re going to bring

sunshine here,” said Karina Santos, Secret Angel’s founder.

The event forged friendships that organizers said they hoped would

be lasting.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Michael Carl, an 88-year-old from

Corona del Mar. “I’ll give [the gift] to my angel. I’d like to know

who my angel is.”

Carl’s wife, 86-year-old Gladys, said she hopes organizers will

“do it again.”

“I love intergenerational things,” Costa Mesa resident Anne

Hogan-Shereshevsky said. “I like making gifts for each other.”

Radames Gutierrez of Costa Mesa also gave a picture frame. He

received a colorful glass votive holder with a strawberry-shaped

candle. The 11-year-old boy had it first taste of volunteering.

“It was nice for us to help other people,” Gutierrez said.

“Helping seniors felt good.”

Attendees decorated visors, candle holders, island jewelry and

beach bags. The teenagers even decorated the senior center’s

auditorium in a Caribbean theme, and organizers wore flower-print

shirts.

“It’s good for [the seniors] to have interaction with kids,” said

Darryl Kim, project director for the senior center. “It’s good the

community comes together for one good cause.”