Soul Santa and Mrs. Claus visit the Lussier Community Education Center
Grooving with the Spirit of Christmas

By Jonathan Gramling

      Some might say that Christmas came early for the residents of Wexford Ridge and the surrounding
neighborhoods when the Lussier Community Education Center opened its doors in September. Since then, the
gift has kept on giving as this far west side community has witnessed an exponential growth in activities that
are now available to the residents, from shooting hoops to staying plugged into the World Wide Web in the
center’s computer room.
      But on December 13, a special treat was in store for the area’s youngsters at the conclusion of the Optimist
sponsored Christmas Party, which featured games and food galore. Soul Santa and Mrs. Claus rolled into the
center to provide gifts to the children and a lot of Christmas cheer to the adults standing near. As the children’s
names were called, they received a specially-wrapped present from Soul Santa who also gave them
encouragement to excel at school. And with a ‘Ho! Ho! Ho,’ the children jumped off Soul Santa’s lap to enjoy
their toys.
      Some of the adults also lingered behind so they could take their photo with Soul Santa because it was the
first time that he had made a prolonged visit to the Wexford Ridge area. And as warm of a visit as it was, it
seems that a new tradition has now begun at the Lussier Community Education Center, which is truly a gift that
keeps on giving.