Santa’s little helpers

NEWPORT BEACH — Jack Lightburne worked hard for his Christmas money this year. Hoping to raise $10, the Harbor View Elementary School first-grader struck a deal with his mother: Every time he read a book, she would give him one dollar. After a while, he finished so many that he agreed to knock the price down to 50 cents a volume.

When it was all said and done, Jack took his money down to the store and bought a toy — for a complete stranger.

His class at Harbor View was collecting toys for the Spark of Love drive, and Jack opted for a bilingual talking “Dora the Explorer” doll, since one of his best friends speaks predominantly Spanish. On Wednesday morning, he was one of 40 Harbor View students who trekked to the fire station on Marigold Avenue to deliver their packages.

Earlier this week, the Spark of Love drive, run by Orange County fire departments, was running short on toys, and the donation from Harbor View provided a welcome boost.

“I’m so proud of you for doing that little extra thing to bring these gifts here,” Capt. Jerry Strom told the students assembled on the station’s lawn. “You worked for them, you earned them and now you’re going to give — and that’s phenomenal.”

The Spark of Love tradition at Harbor View started two years ago, when a pair of first- and third-grade classes opted to forgo their annual holiday party and shop for charity instead. Each student who donates a toy must raise the funds to pay for it, with some cleaning the yard, washing dishes or performing other duties at home and in the community.

First-grader Caroline Magnusson, 6, helped to put away laundry with her parents and bought a Barbie with the cash they gave her.

Third-grader Emily Spain, 8, got $5 for cleaning her room and purchased a Yahtzee board game — since, she thought, it would have wide appeal.

“I thought just getting a game board would be good, instead of a Barbie or a boy toy,” Emily said. “I wanted to pick something a boy or a girl could enjoy.”

With Christmas a week away, the Spark of Love drive was short about 200,000 toys of its total last year, Capt. Carlos Medina said. In the last few days, however, giving has increased rapidly after the media focused on the shortage.

“The response has been overwhelming,” Medina said. “This morning, every five minutes, we’ve had to open the doors.”