12^th Annual Light a Light of Love Holiday Celebration in Huntington Beach On Dec. 7, 2008

Huntington Beach, CA-- A refuge for homeless, runaway and at-risk adolescents, CSP Huntington Beach Youth Shelter, will celebrate the holiday season with festivities such as a lighting ceremony, children's parade and food samplings from local restaurateurs. The highlight of the event, a Main Street Parade, leads to Pier Plaza where musical entertainment  and a snowflake lighting ceremony at the famed Huntington Beach Pier bring joy to the community while helping youth at Christmas and throughout the year.  The 12^th annual event brings together youth groups, high school marching bands, the Orange County Song & Dance Company, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, Woody cars and even Santa Claus riding on a fire truck in a parade and live entertainment designed to raise funds for a nonprofit organization.

Capping the night's festivities is a countdown that will be followed by the official lighting ceremony just before 6 p.m.  Approx. 85 snowflakes sponsored by businesses and individuals will be lit. These artificial snowflake lights are lit at dusk each night throughout the holiday season, beautifully reflecting on the Pacific waters. Anyone can sponsor a snowflake, which helps the shelter raise money for youth in crisis, and each sponsor gets a sign under their adopted snowflake with their name. Hand-held snowflake wands will be available for a small donation.

The event is a partnership between the CSP Huntington Beach Youth Shelter, the City of Huntington Beach and the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District (HBDBID). The  HBDBID will host “A Taste of Main Street” from 1 to 4 p.m. benefiting the HB Youth Shelter, which will allow community residents to sample soup and chowder prepared by several downtown restaurants.

The Shelter has come a long way since it first opened doors with bare walls and minimal furniture. In the past two years over 200 children and youth in crisis have been served at the Shelter. The good news is that the vast majority of them (90%) have been reunited with their parents.  For these young people, the Shelter has not only been a “safe haven,” and protection from the dangers of the streets, but also a place where youth and their families receive professional comprehensive services and lasting solutions to complex problems.