Dec 24, 2007 3:17 pm US/Pacific
Southland Prepares To Celebrate Christmas
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Southland residents Tuesday will celebrate the anniversary of Jesus' birth.
AP
Christmas will be celebrated Tuesday, as Southland residents mark the anniversary of Jesus' birth with gift-giving, church services and efforts to help the homeless and poor.
Three Masses will be celebrated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Cardinal Roger Mahony will lead the 10 a.m. English-language service and be present for the 12:30 p.m. Spanish-language Mass. An English-language Mass also will be celebrated at 8 a.m.
Tuesday's charitable events will include celebrity host Dick Van Dyke and 200 volunteers serving 2,000 homeless and near-homeless men, women and children a Christmas brunch at the Midnight Mission. A Santa's Village will also be set up where toys will be given to children.
The Catholic priest known as Father Dollar Bill will continue his tradition of more than 20 years of handing out $15,000 in dollar bills and larger denominations to Skid Row residents.
The Rev. Maurice Chase will be giving out the money in front of the Fred Jordan Mission beginning at 9 a.m., with the first 10 people in wheelchairs each receiving $100, Chase said.
In Hollywood, 110-year-old Ronnie Fairbanks, described as the nation's third-oldest man, will be among the more than 650 homeless men, women and children, seniors and the disabled receiving a chicken dinner, healthy snacks and a new sleeping bag at Food on Foot's annual Christmas Day program.
The Laugh Factory will conduct its 29th annual free Christmas dinner, providing Christmas dinner to members of the entertainment industry or anyone finding themselves alone on Christmas Day. Comedians will perform during each meal and volunteers will give each child a toy. Comedians Dane Cook, Jamie Kennedy, Jon Lovitz and Paul Rodriguez are expected to be volunteer servers.
Christmas Day charity also extends to the Jewish community, with Temple Israel continuing its tradition of 25 years of hosting a dinner for the homeless and poor, which will be held at the Hollywood United Methodist Church.
As many as 1,500 people have been served at the dinner. Health care and hygiene products, blankets and socks are also distributed, along with toys to children.
In his Christmas message, President Bush said, "At this special time of the year, we give thanks for Christ's message of love and mercy and we are reminded of our responsibility to serve. America is blessed to have many fine citizens who reach out with a compassionate hand to help brothers and sisters in need. We also remember our brave men and women in uniform who have volunteered to defend us in distant lands."
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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