Christmas In April Organization

Christmas came early this year for the Spray family. The couple who use wheelchairs watched with joy as more than 40 volunteers modified their home to become more accessible. "This is the highlight of my life next to giving birth to my children. I'll always remember it until I'm old and gray," said Sheila Spray, 36, while admiring her new cement sidewalk. The Sprays' home is among 16 chosen this year as part of a renovation project by the group Christmas in April.

The Orange County chapter of a national organization that helps repair the homes of elderly, disabled or low-income residents has chosen Westminster and Santa Ana as the sites for its volunteer effort in April. The group, Christmas in April, organizes one-day blitzes to repair and rehabilitate chosen homes. The work will be done on the last Saturday in April. The organization plans to target about 20 homes in the two cities.

The Orange County chapter of a national organization that helps repair the homes of elderly, disabled or low-income residents has chosen Westminster and Santa Ana as the sites for its volunteer effort in April. The group, Christmas in April, organizes one-day blitzes to repair and rehabilitate chosen homes. The work will be done on the last Saturday in April. The organization plans to target about 20 homes in the two cities.

Christmas came early this year for the Spray family. The couple who use wheelchairs watched with joy as more than 40 volunteers modified their home to become more accessible. "This is the highlight of my life next to giving birth to my children. I'll always remember it until I'm old and gray," said Sheila Spray, 36, while admiring her new cement sidewalk. The Sprays' home is among 16 chosen this year as part of a renovation project by the group Christmas in April.

The Orange County chapter of a national organization that helps repair the homes of low-income families, disabled people and the elderly has chosen Garden Grove as one of two sites for its volunteer efforts this year. "Christmas in April" organizes one-day blitzes to repair and rehabilitate the homes of people who have problems maintaining their residences, either for lack of money or because of disability.

More than 600 volunteers are scheduled to do renovation work on 11 homes and three buildings in Costa Mesa today as part of a nationwide building drive. As part of a nationwide program called Christmas in April, volunteers will repair the homes of the poor and elderly and also buildings used by nonprofit organizations. The Junior League of Orange County is the local program sponsor.

Several dozen low-income residents will benefit Saturday from the goodwill of the Orange County chapter of Christmas in April as volunteers spend the day repairing and renovating homes in Orange and Santa Ana. Christmas in April is a one-day blitz by more than 700 local residents who who will spruce up 17 homes, a soup kitchen and a homeless shelter.

Montry Speech's old, one-story house on Lime Avenue had been invaded. Wherever she walked with her cane, she had to squeeze past volunteers in green T-shirts who carried ladders, hammers and brushes. The smell of paint drifted onto the front lawn where a new TV antenna waited in the sun to be taken up to the roof. The sounds of power tools clashed with the melodies of the ice cream trucks as they passed on the street. It all happened Saturday afternoon on what was called "Christmas in April."

Orange County will be showing its heart in at least 87 ways this weekend. There will be free dental exams and vaccines for those in need, and hugs for the terminally ill. Walls will be wiped clean of graffiti and trash removed from the shoreline. Saturday is Volunteer Connection Day, an expansive display of community pride that organizers expect will provide $500,000 worth of work by 10,000 participants. "The impact on lives is immeasurable," says Jeanette D.

About 1,800 volunteers are being sought for making free repairs to homes and buildings for low-income, disabled and elderly residents and nonprofit organizations at 60 sites in Orange County. The Orange County affiliate of the national Christmas in April nonprofit organization will launch its 11th annual county effort with a pancake breakfast Saturday. Most of the work will take place April 28, and emergency-type projects will be done throughout the year.

The Orange County chapter of a national organization that helps repair the homes of low-income families, disabled people and the elderly has chosen Garden Grove as one of two sites for its volunteer efforts this year. "Christmas in April" organizes one-day blitzes to repair and rehabilitate the homes of people who have problems maintaining their residences, either for lack of money or because of disability.

More than 600 volunteers are scheduled to do renovation work on 11 homes and three buildings in Costa Mesa today as part of a nationwide building drive. As part of a nationwide program called Christmas in April, volunteers will repair the homes of the poor and elderly and also buildings used by nonprofit organizations. The Junior League of Orange County is the local program sponsor.

Montry Speech's old, one-story house on Lime Avenue had been invaded. Wherever she walked with her cane, she had to squeeze past volunteers in green T-shirts who carried ladders, hammers and brushes. The smell of paint drifted onto the front lawn where a new TV antenna waited in the sun to be taken up to the roof. The sounds of power tools clashed with the melodies of the ice cream trucks as they passed on the street. It all happened Saturday afternoon on what was called "Christmas in April."

Several dozen low-income residents will benefit Saturday from the goodwill of the Orange County chapter of Christmas in April as volunteers spend the day repairing and renovating homes in Orange and Santa Ana. Christmas in April is a one-day blitz by more than 700 local residents who who will spruce up 17 homes, a soup kitchen and a homeless shelter.