Hispanic Chamber Christmas Mixer Means Gifts for All

The holiday spirit was about during the Moreno Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's (MVHCC) holiday mixer, held at the Moreno Valley Community Adult School on the evening of Dec. 19. An opportunity drawing raffled off various gifts and dually helped support the adult school. Guests were entertained by a performance from the Valley View High School Madrigals competitive choir and Music Changing Lives Founder/CEO Josiah Bruny also attended and accepted donations of gifts for the program's toy drive, Random Acts of Kindness. "The school itself elected to become a member of the chamber because they realized that it was important to be members," said Ladonna Jempson, treasurer, MVHCC. "With primarily adults in the community (as students), they are the ones who are out there spending their money with local business All proceeds collected during the opportunity drawing went right back to the school. We (the chamber) support the mission of the adult school; this is our future workforce, and if they're not already in the workforce, they are attempting to become part of it, so we feel very strongly about continuing that tie with the school." Students and staff at the adult school worked to gather donations of toys to bestow upon the Music Changing Lives program, a community-based organization that works to reduce the school dropout rate among youth by involving them in incentive programs in the areas of music, art, fashion, film and entrepreneurship. This year the program had a goal to donate 5,000 toys to program members and other community children, explained Bruny. Working with various community organizations and private donors, as of Dec. 20, Music Changing Lives was just about 900 toys short of this goal but had exceeded last year's donation of 4,000 toys. "Most of the children in the program live in apartment complexes, so what we do is we go to the complex and we give out toys to the kids in our program and other kids living in the complex," he said. About 150 to 200 toys are donated to each complex. "We were very happy with the partnership (between Music Changing Lives and the Moreno Valley Community Adult School) and we really want to thank the students and the staff," Bruny said. "Some of those who contributed are probably in need themselves, so to see them get together to bring holiday joy to those in need was really humbling." Guests enjoyed a catered meal of light hors d'oeuvres and musical entertainment through the night.