Santa Visits Young And Old At MV Senior/Rec Center Event

By CATHERINE ELLERTON

Moapa Valley Progress

Which is better, the white, the red, or the green frosting?
That was the question of concern when the Clark County Parks and Recreation Department hosted a Christmas party at the Moapa Valley Senior/Recreation Center in Overton on Thursday, December 13. The event was open to the public and promised a day of cookie decorating, lunch, and a pre-Christmas visit by good old St. Nick.

Eager youth hurried into the center dragging their parents behind them. Soon they were sitting at the table taste-testing various frostings, sprinkles. and candies that would adorn their Christmas cookies.
When asked her age, Emmy Zubia held up three fingers.
“Oh, you are three?” I asked.
She shook her head and held up another frosting-covered finger.

Further down the table, I saw four-year-old Rebecca and two-year-old Jacob Brown in deep discussion with Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick who was present for the occasion. Jacob was actually too busy eating the frosting off his cookie to talk much and Rebecca was having trouble deciding which of the decorations to add to her cookie.

“We get so wrapped up in toys and gifts that taking the time for this tradition is important,” said Kirkpatrick. “This is the time to sit and visit with friends and family as we restore the Christmas spirit.”
All of a sudden, a chant went up, “Santa! Santa! Santa!”

And sure enough, the jolly old man came through the door. The cookies were instantly forgotten as the children ran to Santa to make their wishes known.

I caught four-year-old Jonas Brummett as he left Santa’s lap. I asked him what he most desired to see under his tree. Without hesitation, he exclaimed, “A Robot Dragon Toy!”
Soon the line thinned out and I sat with Santa and his elves, Parks and Recreation Department Specialist, Elmer Lopez and United Seniors Director, Cindy Marino.

When asked which was his favorite reindeer, Santa said that although he loved them all, Rudolph helped them get through the fog. He said it takes about twenty-three-and-a-half hours to deliver all his toys and gifts on Christmas. He needs a half-hour to be sure the reindeer are fed, he said. During the summer, when the elves are busy preparing new toys, he sometimes drives for the Senior Center in disguise on one of their fun-filled trips.

The call for lunch was made and the kids got up off the floor where they were making a candy cane craft out of beads and pipe cleaners. A delicious luncheon prepared by Chef Raegan Whited was served by Commissioner Kirkpatrick, her liaison Janice Ridondo, Amelia Smith from the Clark County Northeast Office and other volunteers from the Parks and Recreation Department and Senior Center.

During the meal, drawings for prizes of gift-filled mugs were held. The final gift was won by Tracey Pirtle of Logandale who was the first to jump up and sing “Jingle Bells.”

It was a fun-filled day that brought members of the community together to celebrate Christmas.