By Jonah Frangiosa | jfrangiosa@eagletribune.com - Dec 17, 2024 Updated Dec 17, 2024
HAVERHILL – Festivities and fun filled the venue as Haverhill families were treated to pancakes, stories, and a visit from Mrs. Claus.
The holidays came alive Saturday morning in the lobby of the Haverhill YMCA, where dozens of families attended the second annual Breakfast and Stories with Mrs. Claus. The free public event offers the community members a morning full of heartwarming moments.
Haverhill YMCA’s Executive Director Tracy Fuller said the event has grown threefold since its debut last year, estimating that there were about 170 children present.
There was even a life-sized gingerbread man roaming the event.
Mrs. Claus welcomed the children with open arms and a batch of holiday-decorated cookies.
The kids each got a chance to sit on her lap, dishing out questions and wishes to the matriarch of Christmas.
“I want a big empty box for Christmas so I can build something,” one child said.
“Where does Rudolph sleep?” another asked.
“Does Santa have any transformers?” a third child asked.
One young girl asked for a dress just like Mrs. Claus’ while sharing her wish list.
A Portuguese brother and sister handed over letters they had written for Santa. His wife reassured them that, of course, Santa speaks Portuguese.
Boys and girls gathered around Mrs. Claus for a special story-time of festive folktales, captivating the audience of youngsters.
Each child was gifted a book to take home, which is a year-round giveaway program that the Haverhill YMCA hosts.
But Fuller said their charitable work is thanks to the generous donations of Haverhill Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting literacy and reading proficiency in local children.
“We appreciate the partnership because our goal is to help all youth in Haverhill focus on grade level reading,” Fuller said. “Our goal is to continue to provide youth with as much accessibility to books as possible.”
A recent donation from the nonprofit expanded the YMCA’s book selection to include reading material of all levels. Some kids left with book bags, a Haverhill Promise program where children head home with a sack-full of their favorite stories.
The giveaway ensured that local children will have plenty of good reads for the holiday season, especially while school is on vacation.
Families were also treated to a free breakfast in the lobby, where Fuller said she was on “pancake duty.” Alongside the flapjacks were fresh fruit, hot cocoa, and make-your-own yogurt parfaits.
The food was all in alignment with the Fresh Foods grant, which promotes sustainable and healthy meal options for youth. Last year, the grant program awarded $200,000 to Haverhill, with $20,000 of the package being distributed to the YMCA.
The YMCA’s certified staff also held vision screening for children in a separate room. A total of 12 children were tested, identifying one child who needs glasses. This initiative is part of the YMCA’s work with the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative grant.
Fuller said she wanted to recognize Dianne Connolly, director of Title I and Community Outreach at Haverhill Public Schools, for helping the festivities come to fruition.