A boy poses for a photo with an actor dressed as Santa Claus at the Boys & Girls Club, 920 Cottage Grove Ave. This Dec. 15, 2018, event provided gifts, games and food for dozens of neighborhood children and their families.
Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018 | 2 a.m.
This modern-day Santa Claus does not hover in a sleigh cabin. There are no reindeer, either.
He drones above in a Metro Police helicopter.
And even before the mythical character emerges — in his iconic red garb — the children stand in awe against a chain link fence at the John D. Jackie Gaughan Boys & Girls Club.
Cell phones document the scene while a tiny voice blurts out, “Santa!” The little boy jumps in anticipation.
But Santa was only the initial act dozens of neighborhood children were treated to Saturday morning at the club, 920 Cottage Grove Ave.
They played carnival-style games, slid from a pair of massive bounce houses, ate food and perhaps even more significantly, received gifts many of the underprivileged might have gone without this holiday season.
“A lot of these kids wouldn’t get much if we didn’t do something like this,” Metro Capt. Kelly McMahill said.
Take Donna Young, for example.
She is a single mother of four — ages 7, 8,9, and 11 — and works two jobs.
“This is a big help, because I couldn’t get nothing for them really. So this is a big help to me, and I know most of the families feel the same way,” she said.
Shamella Pearson, whose son attends the Boys & Girls Club, agreed: “It’s very nice, especially for all the little kids and the ones who don’t have that much during this time of year,” she said. “This is great.”
Young is a recent transplant from Arizona, where these types of community events aren’t common, she said.
The annual neighborhood celebration is a partnership between Metro’s South Central Area Command substation, two branches of the youth club, UNLV, and other community entities.
Other substations host similar events. They not only bring smiles to the younger community members, but also serve as a way for children to see police officers in a different light, McMahill said.
“We’re out here to do nothing today, but to have a great time with these kids, and with their parents,” she said.
At a booth, children and a martial arts instructor bowed their heads. Then the woman held a piece of wood the kids palmed or kicked into two pieces, the cracking sounds delighting both the adult and the child alike.
“He’s been having fun and eating popcorn, that’s his highlight, and suckers,” said Jennifer Louise, whose son, CJ, was one of the participants.
Even the Grinch joined the festivities, posing for photos with the youngsters, as did Santa.
Although shy, Courage, a 4-year-old boy, approvingly nodded his head when his mother, Theresa Wilson, asked if he liked Santa.
Stone, 6, also was eager to see bearded man in red, so Sean Lanier accompanied him. The father and son, who wore matching sweaters inscribed with their last name, live down the street.
“It’s a great (community) relationship,” the elder Lanier said. “And you honestly see a lot of people out here having fun, good activities, good food, Santa came in on a helicopter, can’t beat that.”
What did the boy think of the event? It was “good.”
About Santa? He was “great!”
Did he take a photo with him? “Yes.”
What did he tell him? “I wanted an elf for Christmas and that’s what I got,” he said.
Then the finale.
Before 11:30 a.m., when the children were told doors would open and they’d be able to pick their gifts, they eagerly formed a line outside. They lucky ones in the front peeked through the glass, seeing hundreds of toys displayed on tables and containers.
They would each have a chance at one large gift, one gift bag, one football and four smaller items.
The doors finally opened about 15 minutes later and they began to trickle in.
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