Loma Linda University Children's Hospital
- Patients transform Loma Linda University Children's Hospital lobby for Christmas
- Children, schools, and communities united in a celebration for peace
- Motorcycle clubs to deliver toys to patients at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital
- Drill team to perform for pediatric patients
- Candlelighters host a holiday celebration for children and families with cancer
[TODAY,December 17, 1998]
Patients transform Loma Linda University Children's Hospital lobby for Christmas
They were hooked up to monitors of all sorts, but that didn't stop them
from flocking to the unit playrooms on Tuesday, December 8, to transform
simple pieces of gingerbread into houses lined with M&Ms, gumdrops,
and licorice.
With these houses, the pediatric patients at Loma Linda University Children's
Hospital helped transform the hospital lobby into a wintery alpine village,
complete with chocolate mountains, a train, and candy cane fences.
The Christmas gingerbread village is a yearly tradition begun in 1995
by Chef Rick Royal. Chef Royal started the project in appreciation for
the second chance at life he received after having a quadruple bypass
at Loma Linda University Medical Center. He is now a chef instructor at
the Art Institute of Los Angeles.
"It's a present for me just to come out and do this," Chef Royal
says. "It's a really great feeling. It reminds me that I'm still
around here because of the hospital and I have one more year that I can
bring some smiles."
As part of the gingerbread village tradition, pediatric patients decorate
gingerbread houses each year in their rooms or in the unit playrooms and
then place them in the village.
This year, the Art Institute of Los Angeles, Ed Ferrante's Bakery, and
the Girl Scout Brownie Troop number 994 from Lake Elsinore are donating
their time to help produce the village.
"It's good to see these kids smile," Mr. Ferrante says. "I
have children of my own and I know what this means to the kids."
Through January 1, the public is invited to visit the Christmas village
and enjoy live music played by young performers and their teachers from
4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Children's Hospital lobby.
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| Left: Kids have fun building a Christmas gingerbread village Arturo Ibarra, 6, who received a heart transplant at LLUCH in 1992, must have many illnesses--such as the ear infection he has right now--monitored closely. But he hasn't let his infection stop him from loading his gingerbread house with lots of candy. Second from left: Two-year-old Adam Gutierrez oversees the placement of his frosting dog, Pepper, inside the pretzel fence of his gingerbread house. Third from left: Cody Deboer, 11, who is in the hospital awaiting surgery, proudly displays his completed house before its placement in the Christmas gingerbread village. Far right: Approximately 100 houses populate the Christmas gingerbread village, a tradition which was begun by Chef Rick Royal in 1995. | |||
Children, schools, and communities united in a celebration for peace
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| Antwon Fair, a third grader at Victoria School in Redlands, reads his PeaceBuilders essay. |
The individuals honored have been implementing PeaceBuilders®,
a national, research-based violence prevention program. PeaceBuilders,
a program of the Inland Agency, takes a proactive approach to reducing
youth violence--it is implemented school-wide and requires active parent
participation and community reinforcement. The program teaches children,
staff, and families to "Praise People," "Give Up Put Downs,"
"Seek Wise People," "Notice Hurts," and "Right
Wrongs."
Through the program, children learn that they can make a difference through
their words and actions. PeaceBuilders is purposely woven into the school's
everyday routine to make it a "way of life." For example, in
a history lesson a teacher can use the principles of PeaceBuilders by
asking, "In this history lesson, how did Abraham Lincoln right the
wrong? Give me an example of how he sought wise people."
Because of Inland Agency, schools in Riverside and San Bernardino counties
have experienced dramatic drops in referrals for discipline (50 percent
less), student suspensions (up to 100 percent less), and school vandalism
(up to 100 percent less).
C. J. O'Brien, principal of the Agua Caliente School in Cathedral City,
believes that the program has made a dramatic difference at his school.
"The PeaceBuilders program has made significant differences in the
school and community climate of Agua Caliente School," Dr. O'Brien
says. "Before the beginning of PeaceBuilders, this area and the school
were constantly the targets of graffiti and other gang-related activities.
Agua Caliente was vandalized, broken into, and even fire-bombed. The school
and the community were not safe places to be."
Since beginning the PeaceBuilders program, the atmosphere of the school
and neighborhood have changed, he says. "Vandalism and graffiti are
virtually nonexistent and there have not been any break-ins at the school."
The remaining PeaceBuilders elementary schools in Riverside and San Bernardino
counties are also seeing positive changes as a result of the program.
More than 62,000 students from these schools are PeaceBuilders.
The students especially have good things to say about PeaceBuilders. "I'm
a PeaceBuilder," says Donald Baltimore, a first grader at Muscoy
Elementary in San Bernardino. "PeaceBuilders has taught me to help
my friend and be with him when he needed me. You don't give up on your
friends! That's what PeaceBuilders is all about."
When PeaceBuilders began in 1994, the opening ceremonies were held at
Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. Since then, the Hospital has
been a strong supporter of PeaceBuilders and its message. In keeping with
this partnership, the Children's Hospital hosted the PeaceBuilders celebration
at which each school was recognized.
At the end of the program, PeaceBuilders children read essays they wrote
about the difference PeaceBuilders has made in their lives. The program
has helped them make friends, relate to their parents better, and get
along better with their siblings. These children carry the PeaceBuilders
tenets they learn not only into their school lives, but into their homes
and families as well.
Motorcycle clubs to deliver toys to patients at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital
For the sixth consecutive year, members of several area motorcycle clubs
are pooling their funds to buy and deliver toys to the pediatric patients
at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital. The clubs--including the
Motorcycle Riders Association, San Bernardino Hog, Temecula Hog, and the
Christian Motorcycle Club--will gather at the Honda Training Center in
Rialto, load their motorcycles up with toys, and then parade to Children's
Hospital.
With the help of area businesses, the clubs will be providing toys to
the children, and VCRs, youth-sized wheelchairs, and explorer wagons to
the hospital. Three club members will each be dressed as a Santa Claus
and will deliver toys to the children's units. The children will also
have the opportunity to have their pictures taken on one of two new motorcycles
on loan from Quaid Harley-Davidson, Inc., in San Bernardino.
Joan Ellis, of the Motorcycle Riders Association, coordinates the event.
"It's indescribable," she says. "You have to come and watch
the parade coming down the road. To see everybody else participate, it's
overwhelming to me. I can't think of a better way that we could help to
bring a little joy into the children's lives."
The motorcycle clubs will be rolling up to Loma Linda University Children's
Hospital at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 20.
Drill team to perform for pediatric patients
On Friday, December 18, patients at Loma Linda University Children’s
Hospital will have the opportunity to see the Country Spice Drill Team.
The drill team, composed of 10 women and their horses, will perform a
series of patterns such as the figure eight, wagon wheel, and a dangerous
pattern called "Shoot the Moon."
The Country Spice Drill Team has performed at the Banning Stage Coach
Days Rodeo, the National Orange Show Rodeo, the Tournament of Roses Parade
in Pasadena, and the 1997 Christopher Reeve International Cup.
The team, which is also bringing toys for the patients, will begin their
performance at 9:30 a.m. on the lawn in front of Schuman Pavilion.
Candlelighters host a holiday celebration for children and families with cancer
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| Charles Galbreath, 8, whose Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been in remission for two months, thought the party was “great.” Charles’ aunt, Audrey Brock, said, “The party gives the kids a chance to be together and know that they’re not alone.” | Santa Claus makes his entrance at the Candlelighters party, greeted by a crowd of children asking for hugs. |
The Inland Empire Candlelighters is a chapter of the international organization that works to provide support and information to families of children with cancer.
At this year’s party, children were treated to many holiday delights, including crafts sponsored by area organizations; entertainment by the comedy/singing group Beckwith & Towner of Pasadena, and singing group Vocal Choice Singers of Redlands; a visit from Santa; and presents for each child.
The holiday party was completely volunteer-run. More than 100 volunteers oversaw registration, name tags, food, gift hand-out, and arts and crafts. The annual event is made possible by donations from individuals and organizations, including the United Way and AllState.
“The reason we do the Christmas party is to bring smiles to the faces of these children, even for that short period of time,” says Armida Kersey, president of the Inland Empire chapter and administrative secretary for critical care nursing at Loma Linda University Medical Center. “During the party I take a few minutes to watch the children. They’re each having their own individual experience of happiness, and I think it’s just so wonderful that we’re able to contribute to that experience. If you think anything you do will impact someone’s life that much, you’ll do it again and again and again.”
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17, 1998][News and media page]
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