Breakfast with Santa

The holidays are a special time for many, but who can forget those childhood years where all seems possible and the magic of Christmas is real.

It was through those eyes that I observed Christmas on Saturday December 17, at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance’s Breakfast with Santa. At 9:00 the children and their families started arriving. From the boxed breakfasts, to the writing of letters to Santa, all the volunteers made sure everyone was welcomed, had something to eat and an activity to keep them busy until the “Big Moment”.

At 9:30, Becky Preston, the Supervisor of Nutrition Services, announced “I just got a call on my special cell phone; I think Santa and Mrs. Claus are almost here – let’s sing a song to welcome them”. That led to the room singing “Santa Claus is coming to Town”. You could hear the bells start jingling; Santa and Mrs. Claus had arrived.

It was a very heart warming and special morning for me, and I would like to personally thank the Employee Council, Shane Helgerman and his group of volunteers for putting this event together and keeping everything running smoothly. They certainly made the “nice” list this year!

Back Row, L-R: Joan Whitson, Crystal Houze, Colleen Hall, Catherine Preston, Andrea Houze, Shane Helgerman, Nathan Couvillon, Janet Cobb and Becky Preston

Middle Row, L-R: Beth Hall, Lydia Hall and Regan Pardo

Front Row, L-R: Vanessa McFadden, Jean Landry, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and Delynn Miller