Operation Santa Claus held Dec. 20 in Chicago Ridge is an annual tradition going back 61 years, but this time, colorful sleighs instead of fire trucks transported Jolly St. Nick and his elves around town to deliver candy to children.
About 60 volunteers of all ages participated in the popular event, with Mayor Jack Lind and Trustee Bill McFarland leading the effort, having both been involved in putting it on for 39 years. Operation Santa Claus dates back to 1964 in the village.
“It is something the whole village looks forward to every year. It brings everyone together,” said McFarland. He noted that the volunteers include teens in the Jon’s Way youth club, as well as local Boy Scouts, and students earning community service credits for school.
In years past, Santa would travel on fire trucks to deliver the bags of candy around town. But this year, he and his elves traveled on colorfully decorated flatbed “sleighs” drawn by police vehicles. The Grinch even got into the spirit of the season and participated too. Besides filling gift bags and loading them in sacks to deliver around town, the volunteers also decorated the four sleighs. Many featured characters from popular Christmas shows such as Rudolph, Hermey the elf, Yukon Cornelius and the Bumble.
When Santa’s sleigh arrived on Major Avenue, Ava Grace Oakes, age 3, was there with her mother, Amanda, and grandfather Bob Gushes to meet him. Santa called them over and lifted Ava Grace into his lap for a little chat.
“This has been going on my whole life,” said Amanda Gushes. “It’s great to have my daughter experience it too.”
While the sleighs traveled around town with police sirens blaring, the first Silent Santa event was held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Tokar Training & Community Center, 10655 S. Oak Ave. Residents with autism and other conditions who dislike the usual noise and bright lights signed up to meet individually with Santa Claus in a quiet room with their families. Serving as head elf was Deb Pyznarski, who had suggested the event for people like her grandson, Colin, who has autism. He turned 9 the same day. The eldest participant was a 33-year-old resident with Down syndrome.
“I am thankful for this. I am sure more people will sign up next year,” said Pyznarski.
Marquette Bank donated gift bags for the Silent Santa event, and Mike Mahoney, senior services community manager with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, gave “scent kits” to families. More information about these free kits for collecting and storing a person’s scent in case they go missing may be obtained at www.cookcountysheriffil.gov.
