Trucks, video games, puzzles, board games and Barbie dolls sat on two gurneys rolling along Harbor-UCLA Medical Center's narrow corridors.
On Christmas Day, the mobile toy stores were on their way to the kids who had to spend the holiday stuck in a hospital room for whatever reason.
They couldn't get to a toy store before Christmas. This free toy store came to them thanks to the Beach Cities Mustang Club, whose members donned Santa hats and reindeer antlers, walked around the hospital's pediatric wing and distributed the toys.
Pained expressions turned into at least little smiles as children lying on beds and walking the corridors got to pick at least one toy from the gurneys.
Six-year-old Jessica Robledo got the first toy: a board game. The little girl hurt her right wrist as she roller-skated on her Christmas present, a pair of shoes in which the skates pop out, her mother said. Jessica and her mother were waiting to be seen by emergency room staff.
"She never cries; she's usually quite tough," said her mother, Seleina Magill, hugging tearful Jessica. "She'll enjoy the toy when she feels better."
In a little room nearby, a dehydrated Juan Pedromo was getting saline solution in his body. The 9-year-old had a bad case of the flu, his mother, Maria Pedromo, said. Juan, although very weak, held on to the truck he picked from one of the gurneys.
This was the club's 10th annual toy drive and distribution at this hospital, said Jon Schultz, club president and founder.
"We end up getting about 1,000 toys each year," he said. "It's just wonderful to see the children's faces light up as they get the toys in their hands."
The club, which has close to 600 members, always is looking for toy donations to hand out to charities, Schultz said. Those interested in donating may visit the club's Web site at www.bcmc.net, he said.
Carl Marsh, a member, recalled how members had filled a little girl's room with toys.
"She had cancer," he said. "We don't know if she made it or not. We ended up unloading a whole gurney of toys in her room. Every time I look at that picture, it just brings tears to my eyes."
The toys really do lift patients' spirits, said Aida Grado, a nurse.
"It's really nice they do this every year," she said. "It definitely makes a difference in how our patients feel."
Chat Javier, another pediatric nurse, was more vocal in thanking the group of visitors. She led some of the children in a spontaneous rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock" in one of the corridors.
"Shake your booty," she said, doing so herself, as other nurses and club members stood around her, clapping and giggling.
Jeannie Fuller, a club member, was handing out toys with her husband, Steve, and 7-year-old daughter, Jennifer.
"It's just horrible that these kids have to be stuck here on Christmas Day," she said. "This is the least we can do for them."
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