Editorial

There is something special about the holiday season.

Whether it is Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa or Christmas,

people everywhere are prompted at this time to reflect and be thankful

for family and friends, as well as to weigh their fortunes -- the good

along with the bad.

And here in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, the good clearly outweighs

the bad.

We are fortunate enough to have a kind and caring community that rose

up to the occasion earlier this year and gave the school district a

$110-million gift in the form of a bond measure.

We are fortunate to have local philanthropists such as Henry

Segerstrom, Don Bren and Henry Samueli, who again dipped into their vast

collections of wealth and gave back millions of dollars to the community.

We are fortunate to have beautiful beaches, harbors and parks. We are

fortunate to have star athletes. We are fortunate to have residents who

care about their community, their schools and their neighbors.

But with so much good fortune here, there’s plenty of bad.

And for those who don’t have enough, those who can’t make ends meet,

those who can’t put a roof over their families’ heads, it is important

that the most fortunate of us don’t let them get lost, or even worse,

forgotten.

“Last year, we had almost 1,500 kids, and each one got two toys,” said

Someone Cares Soup Kitchen founder Merle Hatleberg recently as she

bemoaned a lack of donation for needy children this year.

It should never be that way.

But sadly, those of us with much to be thankful for sometimes manage

to overlook those in need who are right here in our own backyard.

While we exchange presents, feast on splendid banquets and enjoy

precious time with family and friends this holiday season, let’s not

forget that not too far away, many will go hungry and sleep in the cold.

And with just a little help, we can all make the season and the rest

of the year a little better for all.

Happy holidays.