Trojans hold night of celebration

BY RANDY GRIFFITH

RGRIFFITH@TRIBDEM.COM

Jadien Gordon has volunteered for Trojan Family Christmas every year that she could.

The Greater Johnstown High School junior said she wants to make sure the holiday tradition continues to be as rewarding as she remembers from her elementary school days.

“Back then I wanted to see Santa Claus,” Jadien said Thursday during this year’s event at the high school. “Now I like to help the kids have fun like I did.”

Now in its ninth year, Trojan Family Christmas provides food, fun and prizes for elementary school students and their families, Superintendent Amy Arcurio said Thursday.

“Students at the high school, groups and organizations thought it would be a great opportunity to bring our families from the community into our school for a night of holiday celebration,” Arcurio said.

The celebration included a family meal in the cafeteria,

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Children pose for photos with “Mr. & Mrs. Candy Cane,” also known as Santa and Mrs. Claus, on Thursday during the annual Trojan Family Christmas event at Greater Johnstown High School. From left are Myreallove Malphurs, 1, of Johnstown, and her big sister Myahlove, 5.

JOHN RUCOSKY/ THE TRIBUNE-DEMOCRAT

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prize drawings in the auditorium and Christmas activities throughout the building.

High school student volunteer elves served as guides and led activities.

In one activity room, 10th-graders Preston Farda and Jacob Fetzer and ninth-grader Marcus Zierer were helping children write letters to Santa. They prepared for the event by making the letter forms, wrapping gifts and hand-decorating envelopes.

“We will work for weeks on this,” Marcus said. “It feels good to see it all pay off.”

“It gives me a good feeling because there are a lot of kids in the community that can’t have this experience of a family Christmas,” Preston said. “That means a lot to me to be part of something so big.”

Ninth-grader Brooke Hart was similarly moved.

“This might be the only Christmas some kids get,” she said.

“I like kids. I want to be able to help.”

Tenth-grader Thyi Benjamin Harrington was volunteering for the first time, putting icing on cookies for kids in the cookie- decorating room.

“It’s really fun,” Thyi said.

Randy Griffith is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @photo griffer57.