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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2021)
B4 THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021 Thinking of others on his 8th birthday Oregon boy helps homeless children By TOM HALLMAN JR. The Oregonian Sylvan Sugar, 8, asked that money his friends would spend on his birthday be donated to buy gifts for children at a homeless shelter. As his 8th birthday approached in September, Sylvan Sugar was interested in the party, but also the gifts he expected to receive from his friends. “He’s in the second grade and into the usual stuff ,” said his mother, Christine Sugar. “He loves cars.” But a few weeks before the party, Sylvan told his mother that he didn’t want any gifts. He said he wanted his friends to use the money they planned to spend on him to buy birthday gifts for homeless children. When his mother asked him why, he said he remem- bered watching “Little Red Wagon,” a movie inspired by a Florida boy who collected supplies for those who lost their homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley, and then later decided to help homeless children. “Not that he doesn’t have his moments of huge selfi sh- ness at his age,” his mother said, “but he was serious about this.” Sugar notifi ed parents of the kids invited to her son’s party about his request. Then she began looking for a char- ity and found the idea of kids giving up birthday gifts to help children experiencing homelessness. “I think it’s pretty amaz- ing,” she said. Sugar, 46, who lives in West Linn with her husband and their two sons, grew up in a small California town. “I never saw any home- less,” she said. “What my kids see is so extreme, and they’re aware of it. We were in Portland and my kids saw a homeless camp where there had been a fi re. It’s important that my children realize how fortunate they are.” Her son boils it down to just a few words. “I just wanted to do it.” Will it be an ongoing habit? “Hmmm. I don’t know if I’ll do it next year.” Christine Sugar ended up receiving $335 from par- ents to fulfi ll her son’s birth- day wish. When she couldn’t fi nd any charities in the Port- land area that specifi cally helped with birthday parties for homeless children, she expanded her search area and found Light the Way Birthdays in Dallas. Sandra Stewart, the founder of the charity, said she was “blown away” when she heard from Sugar. She started her small nonprofi t — just her and two friends who volunteer — 18 months ago because she remem- bered the pain of her own childhood. She said she does it for free, paying all her fees and expenses, using any money raised just for birth- day gifts and celebrations. “I was born homeless,” she said. “My mother was addicted to meth and my father was in prison. We were always moving. I don’t think I ever had a birthday party. It was a time of stress and struggle. My mom fi nally got clean when I was 16 and we moved to Oregon.” Stewart eventually attended Linn-Benton Com- munity College, where she earned an associate degree to be a medical assistant. Now 33, she is a supervi- sor in an Albany medical clinic. She also takes online classes, majoring in English and political science, at Ari- zona State University. “I wanted to pay my good life forward,” she said. “I wanted to focus on birthday parties for kids. When par- ents are homeless, there just isn’t the energy or capacity to throw a party.” She works with Jackson Street, an agency that works with homeless youth and has shelters in Corvallis and Albany. “They’ve had six parties there this year,” she said. Shelter offi cials contact Stewart when they know of an upcoming birthday and send her a wish list of a child living in the shelter. “We’re shopping this Sat- urday for a party,” she said. “I can’t describe how it makes me feel. I refl ect on my childhood.” Stewart said Sylvan Sugar made an impact on her life. “He fi lls me with hope,” she said. “He reminds me that we can all do something.” Classifieds BUSIN ESSD IRE CTORY 204 Automobiles Y OU R GU ID E TO LOCAL PROF E SSIONAL S Arborist Electricians Lawn & Garden Affordable Rates BIGBY’S TREE SERVICE WADSWORTH ELECTRIC Alejo’s Landscape Maintenance LLC One time clean ups! Monthly maintenance! 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