Local children in need along with kids at Rady Children’s Hospital will be on the receiving end of Christmas gifts thanks to a local man’s vision and compassion.
Wishes for Children collects gifts for local children in need. (Flickr)
The seed for “Wishes for Children” was planted in Temecula resident Charlie Pate’s mind nine-years-ago as he practiced his golf swing at Temecula Creek Inn Golf Course.
“I was hitting some golf balls and the idea to hold a golf fundraiser for needy children popped into my head,” Pate said. “I walked into the pro shop and told them I wanted to hold a fundraiser and that is how it all began.”
Initially gifts were brought to children that were staying at Rancho Damacitas Childrens home and as the home grew so did “Wishes for Children.” Presents are still delivered to the Rancho Damacitas in addition to other locations.
In recent years Pate began collecting DVD movies for children who are spending the holiday season at Rady Children’s Hospital.
“The movie library at Rady has grown to over 2000 movies,” Pate explained.
Pate said they chose Rady Children’s Hospital because the majority of children in Southwest Riverside County attend Rady.
Here are the locations around the Temecula Valley where unwrapped gifts and movies in the G-PG-13 range can be dropped off:
- Callaway Winery –32720 Rancho California Road Temecula , CA 92590
- D’Anza Del Sol Winery – 39050 De Portola Road Temecula, CA 92590
- Tesoro Winery – 28475 Old Town Front Street Temecula, CA 92590
- Commerce Bank – 25220 Hancock Avenue #140 Murrieta, CA 92662
- Killarney’s 32475 Temecula Parkway #G101 Temecula, CA 92592
- Murrieta Chamber of Commerce – 24801 Monroe Avenue Murrieta, CA 92562
- Wildomar Chamber of Commerce – 33751 Mission Trail Wildomar, CA 92595
- US Bank 31990 Temecula Parkway Temecula, CA 92592
- US Bank 27280 Jefferson Avenue #100 Temecula, CA 92590
- Somsoe Insurance 24910 Las Brisas #117 Murrieta, CA 92562
- JDS Video & Media Productions Inc. 39870 Camden Court Temecula, CA 92591
- JDS Actors Services 40935 County Center Drive Temecula, CA 92592
Pate has help from several volunteers to round up and deliver the gifts every year.
“We have high school kids as well as adults. The kids receive community service credit that is required by the high schools,” Pate explained.
Thanks to the generous donations and the hard work put in by Pate and his crew, the program has grown by leaps and bounds since the non-profit started.
“Thankfully, we have leftover gifts that we get to deliver to other children in the area who are in need of presents to make their holiday a little warmer.”
For more information visit, Wishes for Children.
Stephanie D. Schulte is a writer/photographer with SWRNN. She can be reached at stephanie.schulte@swrnn.com.
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