San Diego businessmen make Christmas happen
"To see moms and dads who lost everything . troops and on an Easter event at the White House. On Nov. 1, a call came asking for volunteer help for the Toys for Tots Foundation based in Virginia. Because of Hurricane Katrina, the demand was far greater than normal this year.
People told Xirinachs and Rovsek it couldn be done in time, but the two men came up with a plan, drafted Visa as a sponsor, and set about building a Santa workshop on a truck flatbed, like a float in the Macy Thanksgiving Day parade.
Loaded with $10 million in donated merchandise including $3.4 million from the Ty toy company, $750,000 from Sony, $50,000 from Kodak, etc. Santa workshop began a 60-town Gulf Coast states giveaway tour the day after Thanksgiving. Celebrities joined in along the way, and last week first lady Laura Bush visited them in New Orleans. So successful was their gift solicitation that Xirinachs hopes to bring some of the remaining gifts to San Diego, where collections are falling short of need.
Marine Maj. Craig Ullman, who runs this area Toys for Tots campaign, said M 2000 efforts are "pretty impressive,chan luu sale." While there has been an increase both in the number of toy collection bins and events here this year, Ullman said fewer donations have come in than in previous years. He said the Toys for Tots drive is expected to reach about 40,000 children in the county, but thousands more could use gifts. Unwrapped gifts, for toddlers to 14-year-olds, can be dropped off this week at local fire stations and Wal-Marts.
A family affair
Local actor Ed Hollingsworth is appearing in the Old Globe "La Pastorela Noel," along with his youngest daughter and son. Son Morgan portrays a young shepherd, and daughter Devon is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Hollingsworth is the evil Lucifer. This puts Dad in the awkward position of having to explain that, "No, this does NOT mean that Mary was the daughter of the devil."
Creative thinking
Little did I dream that San Diego was so cold that even convertibles were donning fur coats albeit environmentally correct fake fur. So I stopped to check out the furry vehicle parked on Sixth Avenue, just as its equally furry owner, a veritable Sasquatch, came into view accompanied by a dainty sidekick dressed as a tooth fairy.
Seems the oddly teamed duo is part of a rolling advertising campaign for Centex Homes condo project at 15th Avenue and Market Street. The pitch?
"Sasquatch. Tooth Fairy. An Affordable Place Downtown.
"One of these actually exists."
The stars are out
When the upscale Stingaree nightclub opened in the Gaslamp Quarter earlier this month, hip-hop sensation Kanye West, a guest in the club penthouse suite, surprised the dance crowd by addressing them from an upstairs balcony. He even took the mike when the DJ played his hit "Gold Digger" for an unexpected encore to a San Diego concert appearance earlier that evening. Espied with his entourage was Chargers football player David Binn sans former girlfriend Pamela Anderson. . If you wonder what ever happened to movie star Tab Hunter, you can see for yourself tomorrow when Hunter, 74, is scheduled to sign his autobiography, "Tab Hunter Confidential," at North Park Claire de Lune coffeehouse, 2906 University Ave. . And Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Roger Ebert will be getting his new year off to a healthy start. Ebert is combining a literature reading and film discussions with two weeks of R at Deborah Szekely Rancho La Puerta spa.