The Crowd:

There is perhaps no better story to share on New Year’s Eve than one that is all about hope for a better future. Last week, before Christmas, 322 guests from southern California converged upon the Newport Harbor at dusk to board “The Eternity,” one of the spectacular cruise vessels operated by Electra Cruises. Among the guests were 57 children, all associated with a group that has become nationally recognized as The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Thanks to the generosity of Electra Cruise owners Randy and Linda Guinther, who provided the boat, the food and the beverages at no charge, and 17 of their dedicated crew members who volunteered their time to entertain the children and their families, it was a spirited and joyful evening.

Heather Guinther, daughter of the owners, was on board working alongside the crew, serving chicken fingers, French fries and macaroni and cheese to the delight of the young passengers.

Joining the Guinthers in sponsoring the evening were dedicated Newport Beach citizens Dave and Jan New, who have been involved with Make-A-Wish for years, and have given of their time and financial resources to make the Christmas cruise possible. Dave New is the owner of Basin Marine, and he and Jan New along with their son Derek New and his girlfriend, Kalee Foreman, bought gifts for all the children on board.

The gifts were not handed out by the New family, but rather by the big guy in the red suit and the white beard who did not board the cruise with everyone else at the Lido dock at dusk.

Santa did not come down the chimney because the Electra does not have one.

Rather, in the middle of the main channel of the Newport Harbor, a Harbor Patrol vessel with lights flashing came up alongside the Electra as the giant cruise ship slowed to a halt, allowing Santa to jump aboard followed by Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens and a contingent of high-ranking law enforcement.

It must be mentioned that the success of this event is also due in great part to the participation of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and in particular the Newport Harbor Patrol, which is a division of the Sheriff’s staff.

Front and center with Hutchens was the super dedicated Lt. Harbor Master Mark Long, who spoke passionately about his role in keeping the harbor safe and secure, and volunteering for special duties such as the Make-A-Wish cruise.

Long was joined by Jay Wasserman, a reserve captain with the Sheriff’s Department. Wasserman has volunteered for this duty for many years and served as overall coordinator for the Make-A-Wish party.

Also onboard, to the sheer delight of children and adults alike, was Barker the chocolate English Labrador retriever service dog. Technically known as a T.D.I. Therapy Dog, Barker is an 80-pound love creature, who also serves as the ambassador for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He was escorted by his human mother, Sherry Buchbinder.

After dinner Santa, aka Jay Mahoney, joined Dave and Jan New, Hutchens, Long, and a number of the other deputies, helping to distribute the Christmas gifts. If that was not enough, Electra staff set up an ice cream sundae bar with all the fixings, as children filled giant waffle cones with mounds of ice cream and plenty of sprinkles.

Rick Sherman was at the piano in the main lounge, dressed as a Christmas elf and singing the songs of the season. Microphones were set up for the children to join Sherman and show off their vocal ability on everything from “Jingle Bells” to “White Christmas.” Somehow it didn’t matter that the future “American Idol” contestants had no hair, stood at the microphone with the help of braces or crutches, or sat in wheelchairs to let their voices be heard.

Those children who were able used the three-story cruise vessel as a giant playhouse scampering up and down the steps from deck to deck playing hide and seek, laughing hysterically and totally forgetting about the reality of continuing the fight to cure their illness in the morning. Parents beamed with joy, watching the children play.

This was one special night in the Newport Harbor, filled with hope and promise for a brighter New Year. Somehow it was poetically fitting that the Electra cruise line was named the Eternity.

The exceptionally good news is that the survival rate for many of the children fighting cancer and many other life-threatening childhood diseases has improved dramatically in the last decade.

When Make-A-Wish began its program, the mortality rate exceeded 90%, and today it is less than 50%. There is hope that these children will live to fulfill their dreams and that eternity will just have to wait.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.