2024 Christmas at Orangewood Home for Children - Orange, CA

Christmas Tree at Orangewood Home for Children

One of FFRGOC goals is to help the needy in our local community. We have in the past years celebrated Christmas at Orangewood Home for the Children by sharing and serving food to the children that vary in ages plus have music and games/crafts as part of entertainment.

Based on their website their value statement is :

"Orangewood Children and Family Center believes in serving the community by safely caring for children in a nurturing environment, using creative and innovative caregiving approaches fostering trust with empathy, respect, and compassion, to promote child wellbeing and growth. "

FFRGOC is one of the church/community oriented groups who were approved to participate in helping the children and opted to serve food and have a Christmas party for the children.

While waiting for other volunteers I observed that the reception area is well decorated and organized as shown below:

The long sofa next to the Christmas tree and behind the sofa is a mural showing supporting people/organizations

A man who could be the dad or guardian of the children in this artwork

The leaders and partners , 1980-1985 captured in a big frame

We waited for other volunteers to arrive in the reception area so we can be all together to go to the designated area which happened to be their huge gym.

Bert Mones, an active FFRGOC past officer also brought his grandchildren who were very eager to serve and participate and even brought gifts for them.

Please note also the beautiful Christmas Decor. With volunteers, Bert and grandchildren, Ely and Evelyn, me , Fely and Wally and Lorraine on this picture.

The Early Birds - Ely, me, Evelyn, Fely, Wally and Lorraine

As soon as we have all the volunteers, the representative of Orangewood, Chantal, led us to the gym where we celebrated the Christmas party with the children. All of us were like busy bees decorating and lining up the food to be served. Some of the pictures I captured are shown below and others were provided by Nenita who most of time is not shown because she was the one taking them. Here goes.

FFRGOC volunteers in action

With our President Helen, Evelyn, Bert and his grandchild and Pat getting ready to serve

Fruits and cookies to be served

Christmas Decor provided by Nenita that we decorated the tables (fast and furious) to make the tables more festive

Decor with a Filipino culture touch using "parol" lantern

Preparing the Karaoke machine which unfortunately was not used by the children who were not in the mood to sing

Finally all of the volunteers are all together including Nenita and ready to serve as soon as the children were free from their schedule as shown below:

FFRGOC want to thank all the volunteers for their time and efforts and serving the children during Christmas.

May God bless us all including all the members/readers of this blog.