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Special appearance by Santa raises money for needy kids

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Families started lining the area around Firwood Park before noon for a chance to see the jolly man in the red suit come to town on his green Christmas train. Within an hour, cheerful holiday music could be heard from a traveling train that carried St. Nick to the adoring crowd.</p><p>The Wilkes-Barre District A Committee held its annual Santa in the Park event Saturday, bringing out hundreds of families despite the snow-covered ground and chilly temperatures. According to District A Committee member Rick Gazenski, the event is one of the biggest the committee holds &#8212; and one of the biggest to prepare for.</p><p>&#8220;We look forward to this, we plan for this (all year long),&#8221; he said. &#8220;Right after this is over, we&#8217;ll start planning for next year&#8217;s.&#8221;</p><p>The neighborhood-improvement committee works with businesses to provide local families with an afternoon of free fun that includes a visit and photo with Santa himself, toys, hot cocoa, baked goods and more. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins mascot Tux bounced happily from one end of the park to the other, playing with children and giving hugs and high-fives. The Penguins also donated tickets to give away in children&#8217;s goodie bags, Gazenski said, along with Crayola art kits from the Hourigan, Kluger &amp; Quinn law firm of Kingston.</p><p>Wilkes-Barre Township resident Nicole Hero attended the event for the first time with her 18 month-old son, Lincoln, and her sister. After Lincoln sat with Santa, the family waited in line to receive photos from FotoFink Photography &#8212; although Nicole wasn&#8217;t sure how the picture would come out.</p><p>&#8220;He does like Santa, but not up close,&#8221; she said with a laugh.</p><p>As Hero was making her way out of the event, more families were pulling up to join the line that began forming down the street. One of those families included George and Tina Irizarry, who brought their 1-year-old granddaughter, Lilliana, to see Santa.</p><p>Tina gave kudos to the group behind the event for caring so much about local children.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s for the kids, to make them happy and make them really believe and have hope again,&#8221; Tina said.</p><p>The couple explained that Lilliana loves Santa, and will often usher family members to a Santa decoration at their home while shouting his name. So they decided to give her the chance to see the big man himself in person. Looking around and smiling, George admitted the scene brought him joy. He was hoping many other families felt the same way.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s good for the community. It&#8217;s good to bring the community together, all types of demographics just having a decent time with decent people,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Since the world is so crazy nowadays, we need a little more cheer. So this is awesome.&#8221;</p><p>The District A Fund, administered by the Luzerne Foundation, works to improve the quality of life for residents of South Wilkes-Barre and also to promote businesses in that neighborhood.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Santa waves to all the good boys and girls who came to see him Saturday for the Santa in the Park event at Firwood Park on Old River Road in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park1_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Santa waves to all the good boys and girls who came to see him Saturday for the Santa in the Park event at Firwood Park on Old River Road in Wilkes-Barre. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park2_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Julie Chanel, 11, sits on Santa&#8217;s lap as the line to see the jolly old elf stretches down Carey Avenue on Saturday at the annual Santa in the Park event in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park2_faa.jpg</photo1><caption1>Julie Chanel, 11, sits on Santa&#8217;s lap as the line to see the jolly old elf stretches down Carey Avenue on Saturday at the annual Santa in the Park event in Wilkes-Barre. </caption1><photoCredit1>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park3_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Waiting with cups of hot chocolate for their photo with Santa on Saturday, left to right, are Max Avila, 5, Ben Delgado, 8, and Orion Delgado, 10. They were at Firwood Park on Old River Road in Wilkes-Barre for the annual Santa in the Park event. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park3_faa.jpg</photo2><caption2>Waiting with cups of hot chocolate for their photo with Santa on Saturday, left to right, are Max Avila, 5, Ben Delgado, 8, and Orion Delgado, 10. They were at Firwood Park on Old River Road in Wilkes-Barre for the annual Santa in the Park event. </caption2><photoCredit2>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park4_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Avan McGrady, 5, of Hanover, is all smiles as he steps onto stage to sit on Santa&#8217;s lap Saturday at the annual Santa in the Park event at Firwood Park in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park4_faa.jpg</photo3><caption3>Avan McGrady, 5, of Hanover, is all smiles as he steps onto stage to sit on Santa&#8217;s lap Saturday at the annual Santa in the Park event at Firwood Park in Wilkes-Barre. </caption3><photoCredit3>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park5_faa.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Lincoln Hero, 18 months, squirms as he sits on Santa&#8217;s lap and looks for mother Nicole Hero, of Wilkes-Barre Township, on Saturday at the Santa in the Park event in Wilkes-Barre. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/web1_santa_park5_faa.jpg</photo4><caption4>Lincoln Hero, 18 months, squirms as he sits on Santa&#8217;s lap and looks for mother Nicole Hero, of Wilkes-Barre Township, on Saturday at the Santa in the Park event in Wilkes-Barre. </caption4><photoCredit4>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

Families turn out in droves for Santa in the Park event in South Wilkes-Barre