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Breakfast with Santa ‘Even better than last year,’ says Chamber Director Amy Todd

Ticket sales and Copper Mugger pancakes fund Family Giving Program

by Melanie Jongsma

LANSING, Ill. (December 9, 2018) – Two large groups of pancake eaters showed up right away at 8:00am on Saturday, December 8, and business never slowed down after that. By the end of the annual Breakfast with Santa, more than 300 people had participated in the community event, which raises funds for the Family Giving Program, a Chamber effort to provide Christmas gifts for Lansing families experiencing hard times.

Amy Todd, Director of the Lansing Area Chamber, plans to begin Christmas shopping for the Family Giving Program on Monday. The $1,604 in ticket sales and the $531 in extra donations will provide Christmas gifts for 34 children this year, the largest number the Chamber has served through the Family Giving Program. The Lansing Chamber partners with Social Workers at all the Lansing elementary schools in Districts 158 and 171 to help at least one family from each school.

In order to stretch the donations as far as possible, Todd will be shopping at the Lansing Walmart, also a member of the Lansing Chamber.

Chamber Board President Susan Thompson and Chamber Director Amy Todd welcome guests to the annual Breakfast with Santa, held at TF South High School. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Copper Muggers Steve Southard, Brian Hardy, and Chuck Taylor serve pancakes and sausage with a smile. The Copper Muggers are a Lansing organization that focuses on meeting needs within Lansing. They provided all the breakfast supplies and labor so that every dollar of ticket sales could be used for the Chamber’s Family Giving Program. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Before the crowds arrive, Santa poses with Copper Muggers and Chamber members in the TF South dining room. Santa is not a Copper Mugger, but he is a member of the Chamber. (Photo: Maureen Grady-Perovich)
Santa meets with kids of all ages. (Photo: Maureen Grady-Perovich)
This young visitor colored a picture for Santa. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Chamber Board member Ernst Lamothe (right) took a break from his Thornton Township responsibilities to help with the breakfast and to socialize with Park Board Commissioner Micaela Smith (left). (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Village Voice Party members Mike Fish (left), Jerry Zeldenrust (right), and Saad Abbasy (background) enjoyed pancakes and conversation. (Photo: Maureen Grady-Perovich)
Larry Thomas (center) listens to Lansing. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)
Last year’s Breakfast with Santa served a record-breaking number of people, and this year’s was “even better.” A total of 349 tickets were sold, and all of that money directly supports the Chamber’s Family Giving Program. (Photo: Melanie Jongsma)

The Chamber’s Breakfast with Santa was held at TF South High School, 18500 Burnham Avenue in Lansing, Illinois.

 

Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma grew up in Lansing, Illinois, and believes The Lansing Journal has an important role to play in building community through trustworthy information.