FALLBROOK – Thanks to members of the Fallbrook Woman’s Club, 50 fourth- and fifth-graders, who are part of Operation Hero on Camp Pendleton, attended a special party where they "shopped for" and wrapped free Christmas presents for their parents. The children also received presents of their own from a wish list they had written for themselves. This activity culminated when members of the women’s club threw the Rockin’ with Santa party last month for the children.

Operation Hero addresses challenges faced by Camp Pendleton children who have parents serving overseas or who have been wounded in action. The eighth annual party was held at Mary Fay Pendleton School on the base.

About 100 woman’s club volunteers organized the event Advertisement

[ Zion Lutheran (K-8) ] to give the children gifts and a celebration they might not otherwise be able to have. Santa appeared and handed out presents from the children’s wish lists. The children also enjoyed pizza, face painting, a magician and elves to help them wrap presents for their parents.

The highlight of the party was a grand prize raffle prize featuring a trip for four to Disneyland, which was won by Layani McGrady. Layani’s mom, Dhelice, said she "didn’t know how she was going to afford Christmas this year, and that her adopted daughter Layani wanted to go to Disneyland" but knew her family couldn’t afford it, so she had been saving cans to recycle and cash in to pay for tickets.