On Saturday, the La Crescenta Woman’s Club hosted its annual Breakfast with Santa. Over a hundred people came to the event and enjoyed a delicious meal of homemade pancakes and waffles, eggs, sausage, bagels, pastries, fruit, orange juice, hot chocolate and coffee. Children enjoyed a special visit and photo with Santa, and received a gift bag filled with crayons and notebooks, a small stuffed animal and a dollar coin. Kids also received a candy cane from the jolly elf. Everyone enjoyed visiting with Santa! There were no lines or crowding to get to him since a number system was in place; families could enjoy the yummy breakfast, listen to the holiday music and participate in the festive arts and crafts projects while waiting for their turn to see Santa. On tables scattered about, there were coloring pages depicting winter scenes, crayons and special note paper on which kids could write a letter to Santa to tell him that they’d been good this year. There was also room to include their Christmas wish list. 

Holiday music was sung by the Crescenta Valley High School’s Charismatics, an a cappella group under the direction of Shannon Mack. The Charismatics usually sing at the event every year.

In addition to breakfast, music and Santa, baskets were available to be won. Baskets were donated by people in the community and local businesses. People could buy tickets that they would then place in their choice of basket; many lucky individuals went home with a gift basket. The family pictures with Santa were taken at no charge by photographer Skip Rogers from the company Photographic Memory.

The La Crescenta Woman’s Club has been hosting the Breakfast with Santa event for 27 years. The La Crescenta Woman’s Club was founded in 1911, serving the community for over 100 years. The club was formed to offer community support and development, as well as establish social contacts. Members are dedicated to community improvement and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service.    

The Breakfast with Santa is a fundraiser for the  La Crescenta Woman’s Club, which uses the proceeds from the breakfast and raffle baskets to fund local charitable activities, including support for local schools, libraries and other organizations for the community and the distribution of scholarships. Some of the philanthropic organizations the La Crescenta Woman’s Club supports through their fundraising activities include the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Program (HOBY), Prom Plus, Relay for Life, Boy and Girl Scouts, Ahead with Horses, Operation Smile, Outreach for Children, Exchange Student Sponsorship, International Disaster Aid, Montrose Search & Rescue, and local police, fire and sheriff’s departments.    

“I love our community. I have been in the Woman’s Club for 20 years,” said Marilyn Wright, a co-chair of the event. “I love doing this event.”

Meetings of the La Crescenta Woman’s Club are held at 10 a.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at the historic clubhouse at 4004 La Crescenta Ave. in La Crescenta. There are about 60 members in the Woman’s Club.

Upcoming club activities include an Author’s Luncheon at the La Crescenta Woman’s Club from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 26. Three authors will be speaking and signing copies of their books.

Photos by Jackie BODNAR