2 Aid Drives Not Sharing In Regional Prosperity

How do you explain to a child or your teenager that Santa Claus won't be coming this year?

What do you tell an elderly man who shivers at night because his only blanket has worn as thin as he has?

Despite local prosperity, trickle-down economics hasn't flooded two social-service agencies with enough money or food donations to get through the holidays.

Helena Stephens, director of the Bellevue Parks Department's Crossroads Community Center, faces a daunting task.

She's trying to wrap up things for an annual holiday party Tuesday. Between 2,100 and 2,700 guests are expected. Stephens needs basketballs, soccer balls, and fast-food, movie and electronic-store gift certificates along with a few teddy bears and toys for younger children.

The Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank is one block east of Front Street South. Commuters in luxury sedans and $40,000 sport-utility vehicles clog Front each morning and afternoon.

Yet out of 438 needy families, only 229 have sponsors, food-bank director Cherie Meier said.

Her usual cache of backup toys has been depleted. She worries most about the senior citizens who need blankets, bathrobes and sweat shirts just to stay warm and who depend upon grocery-store gift certificates between Social Security checks.

"We can take holiday donations right up until Dec. 22," she said. "We always have a few desperate families that week." On ice: Bellevue resident Jan Conrad, planning Sweeney Conrad Accounting's party for employee families, asked rent-an-elf groups for a skating St. Nicholas.

The party was held at the ice-skating rink in Downtown Bellevue Park. Conrad had visions of Santa Claus joining 20 children on the ice.

No dice.

"Apparently, none of the Santas for rent could skate," said Conrad.

She recruited in-house.

Firm partner and community activist Kermit Anderson donned a Santa costume for the party. Although Anderson skates well, he's tall and lean.

"Kermit was a great Santa, but he had to pad himself well," Conrad said. Star power: Inglemoor High School made television news Monday when singing star Christina Aguilera and the band LFO performed a private concert for students.

They earned the show.

During a KISS radio contest, Inglemoor senior-issues students spearheaded a food drive for Northwest Harvest. The Kenmore school collected 25,000 food items. Court report: Former Bellevue resident Stacey Leyton graduated from Stanford Law School last year.

She was just selected to clerk in the U.S. Supreme Court for Justice Stephen Breyer. Cooking stars: Yarrow Bay Grill chef Felix Acosta and John Howie, a Redmond resident who is executive chef at the Palisades Restaurant, have recipes in a new cookbook, "Savoring Seattle."

The book features 30 chefs who support Farestart, Seattle's job-training restaurant for homeless people.

Acosta and Howie will be at the book-launching party at Farestart, 1902 Second Ave., at 5 p.m. Monday.

Sherry Grindeland's column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in The Seattle Times Eastside edition. Reach her by phone at 206-515-5633 or 425-453-2130, e-mail at sgrindeland@seattletimes.com, fax at 425-453-0449, or mail at Seattle Times Eastside bureau, 10777 Main St., Bellevue, WA 98004.