Keep Your E Wide Open, Santa’S Coming To Town

Santa loves the North Side. He is from the North Pole, after all.

Though he’s busy overseeing toy-making elves in the weeks before Christmas, he’s cleared some time in his schedule to visit with North Side kids.

Starting Monday, Santa will bring candy and good cheer to neighborhoods throughout Mead, continuing his 25-year tradition of visits by fire engine.

Santa’s helpers from Fire Station 92 will be collecting canned food donations for the Spokane Food Bank.

Each night, Santa leaves the station at 6:30 p.m. His schedule is:

Monday - East of Market Street in Mead, west of railroad tracks, south of Center Street, north of Peone Road; also Meadowlark and Windsor mobile home parks - Cuba Street, Miami Court, Florida Street and Yale Road.

Tuesday - West of Market Street in Mead, east of Wilson, south of Center Street, North of Florence Street (including Sheridan Street), Freya Street, Main Street, Meadow Lark, Carlson Court and Heritage Estates.

Wednesday - Shady Slope Road, north of Highway 2 (including Winger Road), Regal, Emilee, Stephanie Court, Hillary Court, west of Shady Slope (including Garden), Napa, Pittsburg, Carlson Court and Crestline.

Thursday - Rolling Hills (including Sorrel), Fairview, Overview, Peone Estates (including Cheyenne), Lynx, Regina, Round-up, Camelia and Parksmith Road. Also east of the railroad tracks, including Farwell, Bunke and Fairview.

Friday - All sections of Mead Royale Mobile Home Park.

Saturday - Forest Glen Addition, including Helena Court, Mead Street, Perry, Chantel, Brierwood Drive, Harding and Metler. Also north of Farwell, including Morton Street and Carlson Lane.

Sunday - All streets in Camelot.

If your neighborhood is not listed, you can still visit Santa at NorthTown Mall. He has a village set up in the Sears/Emporium Court, featuring a 38-foot Christmas tree, a bakery, library, reindeer stable and the elves’ wrap room.

The Northeast Youth Center will deliver “Santa Calls.”

From Dec. 20-22, between 3:30 and 8 p.m., Santa will call children to discuss their Christmas wish list. Parents will be told when to expect the call.

Request forms are available at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook, at the Parks and Recreation Department at City Hall, and from satellite recreation leaders at Regal, Bemiss, Longfellow, Logan and Whitman elementary schools.

Forms are $4 each and are due by Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. For more information, call 482-0708.

On Saturday, the Greater Hillyard Business Association Mural Committee will hold its Fifth Annual “Breakfast with Santa” from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook.

Breakfast for children 12 and under is $1.50 and $3 for adults. It includes pancakes, ham, juice and coffee.

Children can have their pictures taken with Santa for $5 for four 5-by-7-inch pictures.

Door prizes donated by COPS Northeast will be given out throughout the breakfast. You do not need to be present to win.

Last year, “Santa’s Secret Shop” sponsored by COPS Northeast was added to the event. It was so successful that COPS Northeast is sponsoring the gift shop again.

The merchandise in the shop has been donated by people and businesses in the community. Some of the items are new and some are gently used. Gifts will be wrapped free of charge.

Proceeds from the breakfast goes towards the painting of future murals in downtown Hillyard.

For more information call Larry Thomas of the Greater Hillyard Business Association at 489-5001.