They could not wait to see Santa.

After all the games and activities were through, roughly 40 children sat on the gym floor and sang along to Christmas songs, awaiting Santa’s arrival. Then, finally, the curtains opened and revealed the man himself, ready and waiting on stage with a pile of gifts to hand out to every child at the Boys & Girls Club that evening for the Club’s annual holiday party.

“That was one of my favorite moments, when Santa was on stage with the curtains opening. To the kids, that was really magical,” said Kait Dawson, an administrator and Tutor for Chautauqua Striders.

Judging by the elated screams that echoed through the gymnasium and the smiles on the children’s faces, the Club’s annual holiday party was a resounding success.

Aria Gajewski, dressed as Mrs. Claus, is pictured with Santa Claus at the annual holiday party for the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County.

“I think it went well. It was a lot of preparation ahead of time to make things run smoothly,” said Kristin Briggs, Program Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County. “It’s amazing to see the payoff. … Just the smiles, the laughing and the hugs, it was great.”

The event was held at the new location of the Boys & Girls Club this year, St. Hyacinth’s school on East Lake Shore Drive in Dunkirk. While the Club has dealt with many hurdles this past year since the move from School 4 and the transition to a new Executive Director, the holiday party remained a priority to the Club’s staff and Board members.

“It absolutely makes all of these kids’ day when they come in. … Just to see all of their smiles and all of their excitement, even just holding presents. It’s important,” Dawson said. “It’s so fulfilling emotionally just to see how happy they are. They are thrilled to be here, they are thrilled to do activities, see Santa Claus, get their presents and participate.”

What the venue of St. Hyacinth’s provided that differed from the previous years was the space to have every child in the same room as Santa arrived. Rather than splitting up the time for children to receive and open their gifts in groups, everyone was in the gym all at once. They all watched together as the curtain opened to reveal Santa himself and the gifts he brought, with the help of the staff, Board members, and various donors throughout the community.

“It was nice to have everyone all in the same place when Santa came,” said Briggs. “To have them all get really excited when the curtain opened up, that’s not something we had in the past. … Having everyone together all at once was really nice.”

Kait Dawson, Administrator and Tutor for Chautauqua Striders, left, and Kristin Briggs, Boys & Girls Club Program Director, right, coordinated the activities of the annual holiday party for the Boys & Girls Club.

This year, some things stayed the same – like a donut decorating station led by Holly Lanphere, a Tim Hortons Store Manager. There were crafts and games held in classrooms and in the gymnasium throughout the afternoon, along with fried chicken, mac and cheese, and desserts available in the dining area. Stuffed animals and backpacks were also available for children to take home with them, which has become a tradition at the party each year.

“These are really big projects, because we do gift donations, we have Santa come in, we did catering … it’s a huge project. It takes a lot of hands and a lot of minds to put everything together in order, in a way that’s going to flow smoothly for the kids, as well as the staff,” Dawson said.

The venue was new, and so was the majority of the staff, as the Boys & Girls Club has experienced significant turnover in the past year. Two steadying forces throughout the past year have been Briggs as Program Director and Dawson with Chautauqua Striders. Both Briggs and Dawson were involved last year with the holiday party, but this year, they ran the show in a leadership role with their colleagues.

“Teamwork and team building for events like these really does put you in the holiday spirit. It’s rewarding for the staff to have some sort of control over the situation. They made all of these kids this happy. It’s very validating,” Dawson said.

Together, Briggs and Dawson helped keep the Club on track through leaving School 4, holding the summer program at Wright Park and Point Gratiot, and eventually moving to St. Hyacinth’s. “It has been a very turbulent year,” Briggs said, noting all of the changes in the past year.

After the holiday party concluded, Briggs said, “Today, it really felt like home for the first time. With the decorations and the kids having a good time, it feels like we’re finally settling in.”

The Boys & Girls Club provides more than just a hangout after school and a fun party for the holidays. Through the Club staff and Chautauqua Striders, the Club offers tutoring and help with homework, along with athletic programs, nutrition programs, and programs to help kids grow up to be good citizens in their communities.

Events like the holiday party give all children at the Club a memorable experience, no matter their background. Whether they would otherwise be able to experience the same sort of festivities at home or not, you would never be able to tell at the holiday party. Everyone receives a present, and most importantly, everyone has a safe and happy place to celebrate the holidays.

“It’s inspiring to keep doing things like this,” Dawson said. “It’s rewarding to see the kids leave telling their parents what they got and having them playing with their toys. It’s so cool.”