by Sylene Argent
While December is a busy time of year for Jolly Old St. Nicholas, the big man in red made sure to visit with local youngsters at Cottam Rotary Park last Thursday evening.He was sure to lend his ear to hear early Christmas wishes.
His visit was part of the Rotary Club of Cottam’s annual Santa at the Park event, which not only provides the opportunity for youngsters to get a picture with the big guy – after walking through a mini maze of Christmas trees currently available as part of its annual fundraiser – but got them into the holiday spirit.
During the event, Santa, with the help of his elves, provided the youths with a gift bag loaded with goodies that the Rotary Club of Cottam provided for the occasion. Visitors to the park also had the chance to sip hot chocolate and indulge on sweet treats, thanks to support from local businesses, and get an up-close view of the lighting display hosted at Cottam Rotary Park.
This was the first year the Rotary Club of Cottam collected non-perishable food items at the event from anyone who wished to make a donation. The members of the Rotary Club of Cottam were impressed with the number of items donated, and will be happy to forward the donations to the Essex Area Food Bank to support local individuals and families facing economic hardships.