| Every December Katie Roberts noticed the bare potted trees the city of
Ontario placed near the Nativity displays along the Euclid Avenue median. The
only decorations were a small string of lights.
This year she came up with a solution.
Roberts, an Ontario police captain and Chamber of Commerce member, started
the adopt-a-tree program. Businesses would adopt one or more of the 36 potted
trees and choose an Ontario school to be their partner.
The schools would decorate the trees. On Dec. 7, a panel of judges would
select first-, second- and third-place winners in elementary, middle and high
school categories.
"Everybody wins," Roberts said.
Businesses get publicity because each adopted tree carries a sign naming the
business and school. Schools receive cash prizes.
"And the scrawny trees will be covered," Roberts added.
It proved to be an easy sell. About 17 businesses signed up, including West
End Uniforms in Montclair.
Owner Gene Gianuzzi said he signed up as soon as he was asked because it
would be something to help both schools and the community of Ontario.
Ontario Mills General Manager Richard Eichenbaum heard of the program from
Roberts at a chamber meeting and sponsored three trees.
"I think it's a great thing," he said.
The program allows the mall a chance to act on its philosophy of being a good
neighbor in the community, Eichenbaum said.
"It was a real pleasure to be a part of the program," he added.
Additional sponsors Besides West End Uniforms and Ontario Mills, other
sponsors are Ontario Parkway Kiwanis Club (two trees); Citizens Business Bank,
Ontario; Associated Engineers, Ontario; Covington & Crowe, Ontario; Marie
Callender's, Ontario; Ontario Police Officer's Association; Ontario Police
Management Association; Daisy-Wheel Ribbon Co., Ontario; Sign-A-Rama, Rancho
Cucamonga; Swenson Corp., Ontario; Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co., Rancho
Cucamonga; Allstate Insurance, Rancho Cucamonga; and Bilingual Family
Counseling, Ontario. Little buddies help Students took to their
decorating assignments with relish.
On Dec. 4, Sheri Chu's sixth-grade class and their little buddies, Judy
Esqueda's kindergarten class, came together to decorate bell ornaments at
Vineyard Elementary School.
Bricela Miramontes, 11, and her little buddy, 5-year-old Alicia Diaz, enjoyed
themselves. So did Gustavo Rojo. The 5-year-old painted a candy cane, snowman,
grapes and a Christmas tree on his bell ornament with the encouragement of
11-year-old Brenda Fregoso.
Principal Bob Lastoskie and teacher Roger Ibanez selected ornaments from each
class which participated to place on the school's tree.
The following day, Chaffey High School Interact Club members braved the
Christmas on Euclid fair crowd to decorate their tree.
Club president Christy Roberts praised the project.
"It's a good opportunity to bring money to the schools and to show our
competitive spirit with other schools," Christy said as she placed soda
cans-turned-Christmas caroler ornaments on the tree.
St. George Elementary students decorated their tree the morning of Dec. 7.
The students, with teacher-assistant Wanda Valencia and fourth-grade teacher
Jason Watts, transformed the bare tree with the help of laminated snowflakes and
doves made of cardboard and doilies.
"It's fun," said Angela Cortes, 11.
Danielle Schaper, 10, said she was happy to be among the eight students in
grades five through eight selected to decorate the tree.
Watts carefully placed the large white dove ornament with a red ribbon in his
beak on top of the tree as the group watched.
"Yeah, we did it!" Valencia exclaimed when he was done.
Watts said the adopt-a-tree program gave children a chance to get into the
Christmas spirit and offered a lesson in teamwork. It also allowed businesses to
be more involved with schools.
Program successful The adopt-a-tree program was so successful - in
terms of the number of school participants and business sponsors - the panel of
judges handed out two first-place, two second-place and two third-place awards
at the elementary school level.
Following is a list of the winners:
Elementary Schools: first place: Berlyn (sponsor, Allstate Insurance) and
Central K Kids (Ontario Parkway Kiwanis); second: Sultana (Covington &
Crowe) and Ranch View (Ontario Police Officers' Association) ; third: Redeemer
Lutheran (Ontario Mills) and Del Norte K-Kids (Ontario Parkway Kiwanis)
Middle Schools: first place: Wiltsey (Peppers Unlimited); second: Vina Danks
(West End Uniforms)
High Schools: first place: Ontario (Marie Callender's); second: Chaffey
(Associated Engineers)
Others participating schools were Bon View Elementary, San Antonio Academy,
Vineyard Elementary, Elderberry Elementary and Euclid Elementary and De Anza
Middle School.
Chamber officials were scheduled to present checks to the schools and plaques
to the sponsoring businesses at Tuesday's chamber open house. |
