My oh my, what a wonderful day

Deepa Bharath

Mel Capson was waiting for this day.

The longtime Share Our Selves volunteer sported one of his biggest

smiles Wednesday afternoon when the Disneyland Prize Patrol and its

entourage, complete with its ubiquitous mascots, handed the nonprofit

a Community Service Award and a check for $15,000.

Capson, who purchases food for the organization through

wholesalers and manufacturers, will use the money to buy a truck with

a tailgate that volunteers can use to pick up food.

“I can assure you [the money] will be put to good use in our

community,” Capson said while flanked by Mickey, Minnie and

Disneyland officials.

Many volunteers and employees gathered around cheering the

Disneyland crew with an accordion player playing “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah”

in the background.

The nonprofit, which provides food for the homeless and needy, has

been the winner of Disneyland Resorts’ Community Service Award more

than 10 times, said Karen McGlinn, executive director of Share Our

Selves.

“It’s being able to get the truck that makes it special this

time,” she said. “Our volunteers travel in small vehicles to collect

the food and often have to lift the big bins and put it in the

vehicle. If we get a truck with a tailgate, it would be so much

easier to load the food.”

Share Our Selves was one of 30 award winners from a field of 279

applicants in Orange County, said Jennifer Gray, a spokeswoman for

Disneyland Resorts.

“It was Walt Disney’s vision to give back to the community, which

supports us,” she said. The awards were instituted more than 50 years

ago, she said.

The award is a way to increase awareness in the community about

Share Our Selves, said Alan Greeley, owner of Golden Truffle

restaurant in Costa Mesa. Greeley is one of the volunteer

participants in the organization’s Celebrity Chefs event, one of the

biggest fundraisers for the nonprofit.

“When you help out here, you can measure the difference you’re

making in the community,” said Greeley, who has been a volunteer for

14 years at the fall fundraiser.

The organization has also grown remarkably over the years, he

said.

“When I first got involved with it, the building was just a small

square,” Greeley said. “Now, it’s much bigger. A lot of people would

be hurting without [Share our Selves].”

Volunteer Max Wood said the award motivates her, but more

importantly, it will help get the word out and hopefully attract more

volunteers.

“This is a down-to-earth kind of place where I’ve met so many

wonderful people,” she said. “I’ve felt so personally involved in

everything I’ve done here.”