Monthly Archives: December 2025

Final Gift Sports Balls Tally Is…

by Woody

Woody’s award-winning novel “The Butterfly Tree” is available at Amazon (click here), other online retailers, and orderable at all bookshops.

*

Good Ol’ Saint Nick, when I was seven, came through with a purple stingray with a banana seat that I wished for, my first bicycle that was not a hand-me-down from my two older brothers. As magical as that morning was, however, my favorite Christmas is a tie between the last 25 or so thanks to you generous readers making “Woody’s Holiday Ball Drive” an annual success.

“Life is hard enough,” noted Lauren Siegel, who donated 15 smiles this year, “without a kid having to worry if he or she has a ball to play sports with.” Others making life easier for local kids include…

Steve Askay donated five balls “in memory of my granddaughter Mabel” who tragically died in an accident at age 6, and Rebecca Fox gave three balls “in memory of our dear friend Doris Cowart who lived an amazing 101 years!”

Shelly and Steve Brown gave one ball for each of their “six spectacular grands” who excitedly made the selections and Linda and Jerry Mendelsohn, with the shopping help of grandchildren Blakely, Asher, Garrick, Dannika, Parker and Joy, gave 28 balls.

Local coaching legends Joe Vaughan and Mickey Perry assisted with 10 basketballs; Kym King, “in memory of my beloved puppers Scarlett,” also donated 10; as did Mary and Rick Whiting; Lynne and Don Steensma likewise; and also Susan Hall.

Leslie and Mike De Los Santos donated 10 balls in memory of Leslie’s father, Arthur Seifert, “who enjoyed playing basketball on courts throughout the area until he was 80 years old.”

David Hilty, on behalf of The Bench Warmer, donated nine balls, as did Patricia and Paul Schuster “in honor of the coaches at Buena High School.”

Cathy and Gary Metelak “cheerfully” gave 11 balls; Bobbie and Dave Williams donated “with great pleasure” half a dozen; and Bobbin and Steve Yarbrough “happily” gave four, as did Sandie and Jim Arthur.

Brenda and Doug Terzian gave a dozen balls in honor of their daughters; Laura McAvoy and Sol Chooljian donated ten more; Kent Brinkmeyer added four; Colleen Scott gave three; and Chris Huseth added two.

Erin and Mike Powers donated five balls “in memory of Lance Eaton for his leadership of the Arc Foundation of Ventura County as well as his lifelong, unwavering support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”

Ruth Vomund and Gary Tuttle donated two basketballs “in honor of Bob Tuttle and retired Nordhoff High coach Ted Cotti,” and Susan and Tom Doria donated half a dozen balls “in memory of Ventura College Hall-of-Fame coach and mentor Larry Baratte.”

Ann Cowan gave 10 basketballs in honor of her late husband Jim Cowan, and an anonymous donor gave a dozen “in memory of Jim Cowan and Dr. Jim Woodburn III: two wonderful men who are very much missed.”

Another anonymous donor gave 10 basketballs in memory of John Wooden, and Daniel Eggertsen, inspired partly by Coach Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success,” also donated 10, noting: “In an age of AI, gadgetry, and obesity, what better way to try and help keep our youth grounded to things that really matter – like the camaraderie and life lessons borne from sport.”

The Pleasant Valley-Somis-Camarillo Lions Club collectively gave 45 balls; Patrons of The Goebel Adult Community Center in Thousand Oaks gave 73; and in another group effort, a whopping 307 balls were donated by the “A Team” of family members and friends who wished to be acknowledged by first names only: “Mom” Alma, Allen and Alast, Michael and Reina, Rick and Nancy, Andy and Connie, Lou and Carmen, Alma and Tomas, Shaun and Ruth, John and Kellie, Phil and Charlene, Mike and Claudia, Steve and Mary Kay, Dave, Pamela, Dawn and Jim, Stan, Ron and Anita, Will and Heidi, Tina, Melissa and Todd, Michelle and Michael, Deborah, Achilles and Caren, Jesus, Lane, Kelly and Lisa, Rose and Jace, Ricky and Brenda, Garny, Maddie, Carlos and Cathy, Mike and Cathy, Eric, Paulina and Peter, and Juan.

Julie and Nick Sarris donated 40 balls “in memory of Sienna’s eternal spirit.”

Tennis Hall of Famers Mike and Bob Bryan, who have also been hall-of-fame supporters of this endeavor every single year since its inception, served up an array of 50 balls.

My oldest granddaughter Maya McAuley, 7, with great deliberation picked out a green soccer ball while her sister Auden, 3, carefully chose to give an orange one. Meanwhile, my two-year-old granddaughter Amara Woodburn selected four basketballs on behalf of herself and her five-month-old brother Jayden.

And now – drumroll, please – the final gift tally for 2025, surpassing last year’s previous record by 147, is 1,491 brand new sports balls joyous young smiles!

* * *

Essay copyrights Woody Woodburn

Woody’s new novel “The Butterfly Tree” is now available in paperback and eBook at Amazon (click here), other online bookstores, and is orderable at all bookshops.

*

Woody writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @

Ball Givers Are Sweet As Lemonade

by Woody

Woody’s award-winning novel “The Butterfly Tree” is available at Amazon (click here), other online retailers, and orderable at all bookshops.

*

“When I was growing up in North Carolina,” Joel Crawley reminisced in an email, “I lived in a poor neighborhood and none of the kids could afford to buy a baseball. We would improvise by using a broomstick and the plastic container which lemon juice came in that looked like a lemon. Thanks for doing Woody’s Holiday Ball Drive again to help out similar kids.”

Truth is, the thanks goes to Joel and Chris Crawley – who donated five new sports balls this year for local disadvantaged youth “in memory of Jim Cowan, a good man, a good educator, and a great Ventura Downtown Lions Club member for more than 30 years” – and the many, many other generous givers who include…

Katherine and Frank Anderson donated five basketballs, as did Sheila and Tom McCollum.

Some of the gifts for kids!

Kathy Long donated half a dozen assorted balls, as did Steve McFadden in memory of his dad, Harold – aka “Coach Mac,” one of my all-time favorite teachers I had for three years in middle school – noting: “It always makes me smile to know a deserving child might have a little better Christmas. My dad would love to be part of your ball drive.”

Fran and Kate Larsen also donated six balls; Signe Smale gave one ball for each of his five sports-loving grandchildren; Ethel Yim donated four balls; Bob Vrtis gave three; Sandy Berg gave two; and Mary Goodenough gave one ball.

Glen Sittel donated six balls in hopes of “increasing the fitness of the mind and body of kids”; Theresa and Steven Yamamoto donated three balls; Lynne and Keith Hooper donated one ball, as did Jenny Kinney; and the crew at J & H Engineering donated a dozen.

Peggy and Paul Graham gave five balls, as did Al and Carol Gross “in honor of Dick Utter and his 1949 CIF Ventura High School HS basketball team.”

An anonymous couple gave one dozen basketballs “in memory of Dr. Tom Turner, DVM – a youth coach, mentor to many, tireless volunteer, great family man and a shining example of a life well-lived!”

Mary Bemis gave a dozen balls “in memory of my son Michael who hit a Little League grand slam at Arroyo Verde Park in April of 1995 at age 11” and added: “It’s fun to picture the kids receiving their new baseballs, basketball, footballs and all!”

Ken and Elaine Lyle took some of their grandchildren shopping with Josh Lyle choosing two footballs to give, Corbin Spahr selected two soccer balls, and Brynlee Lyle picked out two volleyballs.

Keith R. Pillow donated five assorted balls “in commemoration of my father, Richard A. Pillow, who always attended every game of mine when I was younger. He was an active donor to many causes and nonprofits, especially those which benefitted and focused on children.”

Allison Johnson donated two balls “in honor of my brother Michael Demeter, a basketball player who would really like young players to enjoy the game as much as he does.”

In a family tradition originated by their “Grandpa Walt” Oliver 15 years ago when they were young, Elijah and Doc Ontiveros, together with Brandon and Tommy Kendlinger, donated 20 assorted balls “in loving memory of their cousin/brother Michael Kendlkinger.”

Sharon Kloeri, noting that “giving back to the community is such a blessing,” spearheaded a remarkable team effort that included her Sizzlin’ Senior exercise class, Port Hueneme Oceanview Pavilion Performing Arts Theatre by the Beach, Lions Club of Port Hueneme, Oceanview Adult Day Program, and Savvy Seniors Club 55, donated a collective avalanche of 410 balls.

“Once again this is our favorite time of year – specifically, making kids smile,” said Sally and Tom Reeder, who donated 14 smiles, while Geri and Katie, no last names given, donated 20 smiles.

Mia and Brad Ditto gave an assorted baker’s dozen, noting: “No kid should be without a ball of his or her own.” Indeed, thanks to so very many of you dear readers, a legion of local kids now have their very own brand-new sports ball – including some baseballs so they won’t have to pitch and hit a plastic lemon.

In fact, your generosity has been so great my acknowledgements list will be continued here next week – along with this year’s final ball tally of smiles.

*

            BALL DRIVE NOTE: Balls ordered from Amazon often were missing gift notes from the senders, even when filled out online, so if you did not email me about your donated balls please do so at WoodyWriter@gmail.com so I can acknowledge your kindness in print.

* * *

Essay copyrights Woody Woodburn

Woody’s new novel “The Butterfly Tree” is now available in paperback and eBook at Amazon (click here), other online bookstores, and is orderable at all bookshops.

*

Woody writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @woodywoodburn.