Combat Radio recently hosted its 15th annual Christmas event to help children experiencing homelessness or other difficulties at Salt Creek Grille.
This year’s event had about 300 children who got to experience the “magic” of the event, said organizer Ethan Dettenmaier. During the event, children are provided breakfast, presents and some time with Santa Claus along with visits from people in the entertainment industry.
The event was created by Shawn Dettenmaier, Ethan’s daughter, after her family’s neighbors lost their home unexpectedly and wanted to help out.
“My daughter witnessed it. She was in the third grade. She was completely stunned that that could happen. She didn’t know the mechanisms of mortgages and things like that. So, we walked over to say goodbye,” Ethan said, recalling a memory.
He added that, after that experience, Shawn said she knew what she wanted for Christmas – “to give houses to people for Christmas.”
Ethan told her that they could not give houses to people, but they could bring Christmas to families who do not have homes. So now, after 15 years, Combat Radio has helped over 5,000 children who have been homeless.
But, Dettenmaier said it wasn’t always easy for the event to get off the ground.
“And we went out and we set out trying to do it. We did not know how we had to find the mechanics and invent our way through it … and we went to every restaurant in Valencia and in Santa Clarita … we went absolutely to every single restaurant,” Dettenmaier said.
But finally, one place said yes, and that was Salt Creek Grille.
After doing the event for so long, Dettenmaier said that it gives the community hope.
“I don’t know how I would highlight it. Other than I would say the event, it has become something of a symbol of hope,” Dettenmaier said.
He added that the event is to intended help break the stigma of homelessness.
“I had a family with this event who worked at Boeing. The airline company, manufacturing. And Boeing went to India. And so, two years later, they’re at our event. And I think it’s important to break the stigma that people have about (the) homeless,” Dettenmaier said.
