The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
El Centro offers festivities with Santa
A brunch with Santa helped make the day merry for youngsters in South Lorain.
A Breakfast with Santa provided a chance for children and adults to meet that Jolly Old Elf and their neighbors on Dec. 15.
Several dozen people came out for the event hosted by One Neighborhood Engagement, or ONE, a collaboration with the Community Foundation of Lorain County and El Centro de Servicios Sociales Inc. The event was at the Tower Education Center, 2936 Wood Ave., South Lorain.
“They provide grants to do things within the community, within the neighborhoods and just try to get people engaged,” said Carmen Leibas, who helped organize the event with neighbors and volunteers.
The Community Foundation already has touted the potential for street-by-street success through small, directed grants that help pay for programs that lead to neighborhood improvements.
“We’re hoping to get more people involved in our neighborhoods,” said Catherine Castor, a South Lorain resident and volunteer at the Breakfast with Santa. “Hopefully this is a good way to start.”
Assistants included young people working with the PACE program, which stands for Promoting Achievement through Community Education.
For the breakfast, the plan was simple: Bring good cheer and an appetite.
Volunteers served breakfast, which included sausage, pancakes eggs and pastries.
There were Christmas carols playing, pictures with Santa and make-and-take crafts and cookies.
Using various materials, participants could fill clear plastic bulbs to create angel hair, a snowman globe or a Santa belly, complete with a black belt and buckle.
The Christmas cookies started plain, were decorated with frosting and goodies, and ended up eaten.
“I want to make an ornament,” said Cassidy Adam, 9.
“I want to make both,” said her brother, Calem Adam, 10.
The Adam family won tickets through Lorain City Schools’ Frank Jacinto Elementary, said their mother, Connie Adam, who also was there with daughter Kylie, 13, and son Casey, 6.
The family had a busy week of Christmas programs. Cassidy said her favorite parts of Christmas were decorating the tree, opening presents, playing with them and taking down the tree.
“And when I see Santa,” she said.
Kylie said her favorite parts are decorating the tree, inviting friends over “and giving gifts to other people.”
The hardest part is keeping up with her younger siblings, early morning risers eager to open their gifts, said Kylie, who was clad in the elf hat she wears at band performances for General Johnnie Wilson Middle School. A percussionist, violinist, honor student and basketball player, Kylie said she prefers to sleep in until at least 7 a.m. Christmas morning, but the younger ones wake up much earlier.
CeAnna Evans, 7, got a picture with Santa while wearing her own reindeer costume, which the family got for pajama day at Clearview’s Vincent Elementary School, said her mother, Analisa Neubecker.
As a worker at El Centro, Neubecker said the programs are good for the community.
When asked if she would land on Santa’s naughty or nice list, Evans shrugged.
“No one knows. You wait until Christmas,” she said.
For its next program, the ONE committee will host a first responders appreciation dinner at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 22, 2019, at St. Francis Cabrini Parish. For more information call Leigh McKinnie at 440444-1075 or Jovi Rolon at jrolon@lorainelcentro.org.