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Published Wednesday, December 25, 2002, in the San Jose Mercury News

Student gets something to sing about

Lexie Xenos, 15, tries on the donated black dress that will enable her to perform as a member of the Cupertino High School chorus. Donations through the Holiday Wish Book program also paid for bunk beds for Lexie and her siblings.

Wish 1 • alexandra Xenos simply couldn't wait to try on the elegant black dress that signaled her return to the choir at Cupertino High School. So on it went, over tennis shoes and all.

Thanks to readers of the Wish Book, the 14- year-old called Lexie by her family and friends was able to rejoin the choir in time for a holiday performance at Pier 39 in San Francisco, and she'll be along when the group participates in a choir competition at Disneyland in March. Lexie had dropped out of choir -- her favorite class -- when she knew her parents wouldn't be able to afford the cost of the dress. Readers also will make it possible for the bubbly teen to attend a summer theater workshop.

But Lexie wasn't the only member of the Xenos family to have holiday surprises.

Mom Liza and dad Damien picked out two sets of sturdy bunk beds so Lexie and her siblings -- Nikolas, 10; Tyler, 9; and Dakota, 18 months -- could all snuggle in their own beds on Christmas Eve. This morning, they woke to find a new set of bookshelves, clothes, toys and, for Lexie, a swell makeup kit.

Since July, both Damien and Liza have been without an income. Laid off from their jobs at a non-profit agency, they have been struggling to make the mortgage on their Cupertino house. Both are in school to gain new job skills and are hopeful about the future -- even more so now.

Jonathan Sagrero, 3, gives his sister Vanessa, 12, a kiss as the family gathers around their new dining room set in their San Jose apartment. Parents German and Genenova and sister Karen, 9, look on. The family of seven also received a futon, mattresses and warm blankets, and new school uniforms for the children.

No matter. This family of seven is used to close quarters -- four of the children share the apartment's one bedroom -- and is joyful to be able to gather around the table for meals together.

Wish Book readers also made it possible for the family to have better sleeping arrangements by providing a futon for parents German and Genenova -- who had been sleeping on the floor in the living room with Nancy, 2 -- and mattresses for Vanessa, 12; Amilcar, 11; Karen, 9; and Jonathan, 3. Warm blankets for all will hold off win» ter's chill because the family doesn't run the heat, to save money. There's music in this home now, too, thanks to a small CD player-radio. And everyone has a present to open this morning.

The Sagreros have their hopes pinned on education as the key to each child's future. Vanessa is leading the way for her siblings by being on the honor roll at Willow Glen Middle School. Crisp new uniforms will have the children heading proudly back to school after the holidays.

Erica Andrada, 14, looks through carpet samples from Conklin Bros. for the perfect shade of purple for her new bedroom. Wish Book donations will give the Branham High School student, who has Tourette's syndrome, a remodeled room she can call her own — with purple walls, carpets and bedding.

Purple. As in lavender walls, purple carpet and still more purple on the bed and at the windows.

Erica has Tourette's syndrome, a rare brain disorder that causes her to involuntarily jerk and twitch and utter sounds that can startle others. She worries that her outbursts disturb her family and keep them awake at night. After the work is done, the converted family room where she now sleeps will have insulation, a new door and windows, and some girlish touches befitting a 14- year-old. And it will be a safe haven for this brave teen, who has stood up in front of her peers at Branham High School to explain her disease.

Erica and her sister, 18-year-old Shareen, are being raised by their grandparents, Delores and Steve Andrada, who have been unable to do the room conversion because of health issues.

In January, Wish Book readers' donations will supply the materials and Santa Clara firefighter and general contractor Scott Araujo will donate his time to turn Erica's space into her own purple fantasy.

Thanks to Mercury News readers, all of the wishes in the 2002 Holiday Wish Book will be fulfilled.

Here are the details:

Wish 1 • Damien and Liza Xenos and their children ... Alexandra, Nikolas, Tyler and Dakota ... San Jose: two sets of bunk beds, a dresser, bookshelves, toy box, toys, clothing. Alexandra also received a dress for her school choir and will be attending a three-week class at the Conservatory of the Performing Arts, operated by Children's Musical Theater San José, in the summer. (See story at left)
Nominating agency: EMQ Children & Family Services, San Jose

Wish 2 • Yasuko and her 11-year-old son, San Mateo: clothing, movie tickets, restaurant gift certificates. Donations also will help support life- and parenting-skills workshops and child care for other families moving from homelessness to transitional housing. Nominating agency: Human Investment Project/HIP Housing, San Mateo

Wish 3 • Maria Thanou and her nephew, Alexander Faliangas, San Jose: computer, Window-Eyes software that converts text to speech, printer, a year's worth of Internet access, cell phone. Nominating person: Alma Guillot, teacher, Montague Elementary, Santa Clara

Wish 4 • Anita Gallegos and her children and grandchildren ... Naomi, Rebecca, Anna, Gabriel, Esther, Christopher, Cassandra and Gabriel, ... San Jose: grocery vouchers, diapers, clothing, school uniforms and supplies, bikes, toys. Nominating agency: Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County, San JoseÊ

Wish 5 • Nancy and her children ... Brenda, Emma and Joseph ... San Mateo: kitchen table and chairs, toaster, pots and pans, microwave oven, twin bed, bikes, computer. Nominating agency: Shelter Network, Burlingame

Wish 6 • German and Genenova Sagrero and their children ... Vanessa, Amilcar, Karen, Jonathan and Nancy ... San Jose: kitchen table and chairs, beds and blankets for all, school uniforms, CD player-radio, toys. (See story at left) Nominating agency: Sacred Heart Community Service, San Jose

Wish 7 • Steve and Delores Andrada and their granddaughter, Erica, San Jose: Erica, who has Tourette's syndrome, wished for a room of her own where her condition wouldn't disturb her grandparents or sister Shareen. Work will begin in the new year to transform the family room where she now sleeps into an insulated, carpeted room. (See story at left) Nominating agency: Positive Grandparenting, San Jose

Wish 8 • Supplies for the Grant YWCA Child Care Center, which serves low- income families, San Jose: books, chairs, beanbag chairs, sports equipment, activity rug, art supplies, two computers. Nominating agency: YWCA in Santa Clara Valley, San Jose