Tom Munds

A steady parade primarily made up of families moved in and out of the Malley Center Dec. 13 for the annual Breakfast with Santa.

The people first found a place in line to pick up breakfast plates of pancakes, scrambled eggs and ham and found a seat at one of the tables set up in the center’s community room.

Behind the scenes, Bob Leonard and Joe Sack staffed the grills and ovens.

“This is a nice meal,” Laura Whittaker said. “I have two grandchildren with me and they are eating well because, I told them, if they didn’t eat, I’d tell Santa.”

Singers from Clayton Elementary School provided their renditions of songs of the season and members of the Englewood Recreation Department Teen Council joined volunteers in making sure used plates were picked up, places reset with napkins and utensils and making sure bottles of syrup and bowls of butter were kept full and handy.

“The work isn’t hard and I like it that I have the chance to help out at this event,” said Joseph Barrentine, teen council member . “We are kept sort of busy and it’s really a lot of fun to see how excited the kids are because they know they are going to see Santa.”

After breakfast, it was a short walk down the hall to the center gymnasium, temporary realigned so the kids could meet Santa.

There was a wait to see Santa so there was a kid’s video playing and there were activities including coloring a poster to help keep the children busy until it was their turn to get into line. Madison Sorley-Thompson colored a poster of Rudolph. She said she was having a good time but wished it would soon be her turn to see Santa.

The line moved as one or two kids at a time got to talk to Santa and have their picture taken with him. When the conversation was over, the children moved off the platform where volunteers handed each of them a gift bag and, a few minutes later a free photo was ready for pickup. About 220 children spent time with Santa and had their picture taken with him.

Mike Tasker Jr. was one of the children waiting in line. His dad, Mike Sr., complimented the organized way the event was run and he said it’s nice there is a place where kids can see and talk to Santa.

“Oh, I guess some of the malls have Santa,” he said. “But this is better. You get breakfast, the kids get to see Santa and you aren’t tempted to go spend money shopping.”