'Tis the season for giving back

Courtesy Johanna Sofield

Hannah and Wally Sofield, left, Miguel Rodriguez, and Johanna and Greg Sofield at last year’s Long Beach Christmas Angel’s dinner.

Courtesy Johanna Sofield

Luke Vexler and Alesha Forche danced to the music of Ground Swell at last year’s dinner.

Rebecca Rogak/Herald

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It’s no secret that Long Beach is a community that cares. Though it’s to easy to look to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy for an example of neighbors coming together and helping those in need, the tradition of giving back extends much further.

“Sandy helped highlight that, but it’s always existed,” said Johanna Sofield, organizer of the Long Beach Christmas Angel.

Her nonprofit has a long tradition of assisting families from the Long Beach School District in need of financial help.

The bulk of their fundraising for the year is done at the Christmas Angel’s annual dinner party each December, complete with raffles and live musical performances. This year the party will take place on Friday, Dec. 11, at the Bridgeview Yacht Club in Island Park. Individual tickets were $125 per person if prepaid before Nov. 27, or $150 at the door.

“At this point we’ve helped so many people that the majority of the people that attend our party personally know someone we’ve assisted,” Sofield said.

This year’s fundraiser will honor several outstanding members of the Long Beach community for their charitable contributions. Ingrid Dodd and Craig Weintraub will be presented with the Champion of the Arts & Humanities Award for their work organizing the annual Long Beach International Film Festival. Nora “Nonie” Finn Kelleher, founder of the Finn Fest, will receive the Leadership in Action Award while the Long Beach Polar Bears will receive the Community Impact Award. Lido Elementary School social worker Shelly Cepeda will also be honored.

“[The Christmas Angel] does so many good things for the people of Long Beach,” Dodd said. “And as someone else trying to make our community a nicer place in some fashion, this is just really special.”

She added that she started tearing up when she heard that she would be honored at this year’s dinner.

“I love the fact that I live in a community where so many people give back,” she said. “You don’t find many places like that on the planet, where there’s always a fundraiser or something going on. To be grouped in with a bunch of special people like that is great.”