Festival of Trees helps abused children

MARIA McGINLEY/Special to the Thousand Oaks Acorn FOR THE CHILDREN--Childhelp's annual Festival of Trees at Sherwood Country Club generated about $50,000 to support programs for severely abused children. From left are Marna Devane, the Buena Ventura chapter's parliamentarian and past president; Kim Lewitt, chair of education and awareness; Carolyn Reinhart-Byrne, treasurer, and Sherry Mizumoto, publicity chair. To raise money for the kids, guests bid on lavishly decorated Christmas trees, wreaths and gift baskets. A child is abused every 10 seconds in the United States. Four children die every day from abuse. The true number, according to experts, may be three times as high since many incidents of child abuse are simply not reported and the death of a child is sometimes attributed to accidental causes.

To help combat such staggering statistics, Childhelp staged an elegant luncheon and silent auction Sunday. The event's opulent Sherwood Country Club setting was graced by sparkling clear weather.

The 22nd annual Festival of Trees holiday gala to benefit the Buena Ventura chapter of Childhelp brought out about 250 supporters whose goal is to help children who've been physically, emotionally and sexually abused.

The luncheon, silent auction and "Santa's Kitchen" bake sale were held Dec. 3 at Lake Sherwood.

The Village, a residential treatment center in Beaumont, Calif. supported by the Buena Ventura chapter, offers a safe haven for the state's most severely abused children. A variety of counseling and therapeutic therapies are provided to help children move beyond the abuse they've suffered and gain skills and the emotional and psychological fortitude to live a productive lives.

The nonprofit group raises about $50,000 at the annual holiday festival to support the Village, said Marna DeVane, a past president of Childhelp.

The Festival of Trees gave holiday shoppers the opportunity to bid on festive themed trees and wreaths, plus gift baskets for every enthusiast--from elegant dinner and entertainment packages to doll collections.

The Village chaplain, Tim Drom, said that when children arrive at the Village they are assessed in a variety of areas. The assessment is based on how they relate to the six pillars of character--trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Drom said he asks the children which pillars they find the easiest and hardest.

For many abused children, Drom said, trust in others--and themselves--has eroded. "People failed to protect" them, he said.

Trust and the other pillars of character are rebuilt at the Village. Under the care of skilled, compassionate therapists, children heal and develop resiliency. Representatives of the nonprofit group said their greatest hope is that the children will grow up to become productive, loving adults, breaking the cycle of abuse.

Childhelp president Joanne Locascio welcomed guests and explained that 90 cents of every dollar raised for the charity goes directly to children's programs and public awareness.

A film, "For the Love of a Child," was shown during the luncheon. It featured children who have moved beyond the abuse they suffered to a productive life. A movie by the same name was produced by Lifetime Television and aired this year. It detailed the story of Childhelp's early days in Japan and Vietnam and the more recent history of the group, which reached several milestones in 2006. Childhelp endorsed legislation to establish a national registry to follow child abusers across all state lines. The organization acquired the "Good Touch/ Bad Touch" prevention program, launching it in local schools.

Programs at the Village encompass myriad methods of reaching and helping children, who are encouraged to blossom through animal therapy, art, music, theater arts, and library and sports programs.

Animal therapy has proven to be an effective means to help children. "They learn how to care for another being," said DeVane. Caring for animals on the Village farm has helped children express feelings of pain, anger, fear and betrayal, and the process leads to emotional healing, she said.

Children between the ages of 6 and 14 are sent to the Village through state and private agency referrals. DeVane said children who arrive at the Village are among the most severely abused and often have been bounced from one foster home to the next.

Spiritual help is also provided at the Village. People from all faiths are available to lend a guiding hand to the children's spiritual growth, DeVane said.

Childhelp also offers a 24-hour hotline, (800) 4AChild (422-4453), foster care services, advocacy groups and other programs.

Childhelp USA was launched in 1959 when actresses Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson reached out to homeless Japanese American orphans in Japan, who were turned away from orphanages due to their mixed heritage.

O'Meara and Fedderson continue to lead the organization as chairman/CEO and president respectively. The pair has twice been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2005 and 2006. The organization has expanded to other countries and has dropped "U.S.A." from its name.

Child-abuse prevention, education and training programs as well as foster care and children's advocacy centers are also offered through Childhelp.

For more information on joining the local chapter of Childhelp, or to make a donation, call Joanne Locascio at (805) 371-9929.