With Christmas fast approaching, preparations are underway around the world for visits from the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus. Part of Santa\u2019s packed public appearance schedule includes a stop at Yakima\u2019s Harman Senior Center on Saturday, December 8th for a special \u201cBreakfast With Santa\u201d event.<\/p>\n
The man known to many as Father Christmas will spend a couple of hours at the Harman Center greeting people, taking gift requests, and handing out candy canes. Santa is scheduled to be at the Senior Center, which is located at 101 North 65th Avenue, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am that day.<\/p>\n
During his visit, everyone will also have the chance to to get their picture taken with Mr. Claus. Anyone interested in snapping a photo of themselves with Santa, who will be donning his traditional outfit of a red coat with white collar and cuffs, white-cuffed red trousers, matching hat, and black boots and belt, should bring their own camera or other picture taking device.<\/p>\n
It will cost only $4.00 for the delicious breakfast on December 8th, which is being sponsored by Yakima Valley Senior Citizens, Inc., a non-profit group that supports activities and programs at the Harman Senior Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really looking forward to Santa being here on December 8th for breakfast,\u201d said Parks and Recreation Supervisor Traci Bennett. \u201cWe\u2019re already working to get the Harman Center decorated with lots of holiday cheer. On the day of the breakfast, we\u2019ll have Christmas music playing, the fireplace will be blazing\u2026 it will be a lot of fun,\u201d said Bennett.<\/p>\n
People who plan on attending the special \u201cBreakfast With Santa\u201d event at the Harman Center on Saturday, December 8th are being asked to make reservations before November 30th. Reservations can be made by calling 575-6166.<\/p>\n
For more information about this article, contact Parks and Recreation Supervisor Traci Bennett by phone (576-6348) or by e-mail (traci.bennett@yakimawa.gov).<\/p>\n
Downtown Yakima\u2019s Holiday Light Parade is one of our community\u2019s wonderful family traditions. Having grown every year since it began in 1999, this year\u2019s event is expected to be bigger and better than ever.<\/p>\n
The 13th Annual Downtown Yakima Holiday Light Parade will take place on Sunday, December 2nd. The parade will begin at 5:30pm at 6th Avenue and will head east down Yakima Avenue. The parade will end at the Millennium Plaza on 3rd Avenue across from the Capitol Theatre.<\/p>\n
Following the parade, a fun-filled program will take place at the Millennium Plaza complete with holiday music, a ceremony to announce the parade judging winners, and more.<\/p>\n
Parade awards will be presented in categories including corporate, small group, most original, most outstanding use of lights, best kid\u2019s entry, and parade committee favorite.<\/p>\n
Entry in the parade is open to anyone and everyone. Parade organizers say that there really are no rules for entries\u2026other than to have fun and to be creative!<\/p>\n
People or organizations interested in being part of the parade need to fill out an application. Applications can be picked up at Ron\u2019s Coin and Book Center at 6 North 3rd Street.<\/p>\n
Applications have to be returned to the Downtown Ron\u2019s location by Friday, November 23rd.<\/p>\n
The 13th Annual Downtown Yakima Holiday Light Parade is being proudly presented by For A Better Tomorrow, the Capitol Theatre, the Yakima Valley Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce, YV-Tech,\u00a0 the City of Yakima, and Ron\u2019s Coin and Book Centers.<\/p>\n
Anyone needing more information about this year\u2019s parade should call 248-1117<\/p>\n
Since 2005, the Homeless Network of Yakima County has coordinated the Extreme Winter Weather Housing Project, which has provided a safe haven from the bitter cold for hundreds of people throughout the Valley without homes. The program has mostly utilized churches as shelters during what can be brutal winter months in the region.<\/p>\n
The Homeless Network, in collaboration with Sunrise Outreach Ministries, opened three overnight shelters in Yakima on November 15th. Shelters serving men are located at Unitarian Universalist Church of Yakima (2nd Street and Lincoln Avenue) and Englewood Christian Church (44th Avenue and Englewood Avenue). The shelter at First Baptist Church of Yakima (6th Street and Yakima Avenue) serves women.<\/p>\n
The Station, which is located in the Sunrise Outreach Ministries facility at 3rd Street and MLK, Jr. Boulevard, is also providing care for the homeless this winter during daytime hours (6:30am to 9:00am).<\/p>\n
A family shelter is also open in Sunnyside at the Oasis Community Church (344 North 11th Street).<\/p>\n
Sunrise Outreach Ministries Pastor Dave Hanson says that volunteers are relied on heavily to run the shelters.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt takes about 500 volunteers alone just to keep the shelters going during the winter,\u201d said Pastor Hanson. \u201cIn order to be a shelter volunteer, people do have to go through a short training class. But no special skills are needed to work at a shelter,\u201d said Pastor Hanson. \u201cThe most important qualification is wanting to help\u201d.<\/p>\n
Because demand for the shelters is expected to be high this winter, Pastor Hanson\u2019s organization would like to open a third men\u2019s shelter in Yakima. However, it would take another 50 trained male volunteers to operate a third men\u2019s shelter.<\/p>\n
Sunrise Outreach Ministries also relies heavily on donations in order to operate the shelters and provide care for people who are cold and hungry. Pastor Hanson says donations of men\u2019s and women\u2019s winter clothing, blankets, coffee, sugar, creamer, cocoa, and other non-perishable food are always needed.<\/p>\n
Anyone willing to become a shelter volunteer or make a donation to support the shelters is encouraged to contact Sunrise Outreach Ministries by phone at 225-9310 or by e-mail at afish4christ@aol.com. Information about the shelters and opportunities to volunteer can be found on the Homeless Network of Yakima County website – http:\/\/www.yakimahomeless.org\/Pages\/<\/a><\/p>\n For more information about this article, contact Community Relations Manager Randy Beehler by phone (901-1142) or by e-mail (rbeehler@ci.yakima.wa.us).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Santa To Share Breakfast at the Harman Center With Christmas fast approaching, preparations are underway around the world for visits from the Jolly Old Elf himself, Santa Claus. Part of Santa\u2019s packed public appearance schedule includes a stop at Yakima\u2019s Harman Senior Center on Saturday, December 8th for a special \u201cBreakfast With Santa\u201d event. The<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-issues-brief"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=185"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":189,"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/185\/revisions\/189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yakimawa.gov\/media\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}