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Breakfast With Santa a Hit With Local Kids
By
Robert
Meeks
Bulletin
staff writer
Even
today Santa Claus is still popular.
The annual “Breakfast with Santa” took place on Dec. 3 at the
Burrell-MacDonald Park. And before the 8 a.m. start of the event, visitors
were lined up around the building awaiting an audience with Santa and Mrs.
Claus.
The gathering provided an opportunity for children to meet and take
pictures with St. Nick, receive gifts and have breakfast provided by McDonald’s
while Christmas tunes and happy sentiments filled the air.
The event was originated and sponsored by Councilwoman Yvonne Arceneaux.
She said it was the sixth time Santa has made the breakfast visit. Arceneaux
added that the event was made possible with some help from the city of
Compton and generous community sponsorship from Food for Less, Ralphs,
Compton Fashion Center, Crystal Park Casino, Steve Kerdoon and Superior
Market.
Arceneuax also praised the assistance of several volunteers who help
decorate and organize the event.
Councilwoman Arceneaux said the idea to start the breakfast with
Santa came by way of her daughter who had witnessed a similar event in
Long Beach.
“She came back and said ‘mom why aren’t we doing this
in Compton?’” Arceneaux
said. “I said to her ‘you know that’s a good idea.’”
There are a certain number of special events every year the city
has funding to assist and Arceneaux said this was one that she is pleased
to sponsor every time the Christmas holiday rolls around.
There were lines formed around the building and it illustrated Arceneaux’s
observation that the event may be growing larger than the venue. While
there were no immediate plans to change locations, she did add that the
only reason to do so would be to accommodate more kids and families.
For Bathsheba Harris, an employee of Roosevelt Elementary School
and foster parent, this was a first-time visit. Harris said she heard about
it and thought it would be nice to bring the kids down for Breakfast with
Santa.
“I’m a foster mom but I like for my kids to have something
where they can say that they have a life. Sometimes so many kids are in
foster homes
and they have nothing to show, no pictures no nothing to show they
had a life,” Harris said. “It’s nice — it’s
a nice event the city is doing. I know there are a lot of good things going
on in this city but a lot of the time we don’t hear about them.”
Harris said the positive aspects of Compton should get more attention
and it is events like the breakfast that is “good for our community.”
Along with the gifts, the food and music there were contests that
ranged from a drawing to a demonstration of writing skill. “We have
an essay contest and this year’s theme is why Christmas is so special,” she
said.
The winner of the essay contest, who would be announced at an upcoming
City Council meeting, would receive a bike.
Arceneaux said she understands that there is a separation between
church and state but believes offering the children of Compton this event
is her duty as a Christian.
“The lord has really blessed us to have this each year,” she
said.
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