AFRICATOWN to Santa – “We’re gonna need a bigger boat” for BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
A crowd of over 400 kids with parents showed up at The Africatown Community Center to enjoy on Saturday, December 21st, Africatown’s sixth annual “Breakfast With Santa” Christmas Celebration Event for kids. The event this year was co-sponsored by The Africatown C.H.E.S.S. Community Environmental Organization and The Africatown Teach & Outreach Non-Profit Community Organization. Because this event has gotten larger every year, the decision was made to move it from one of the smaller rooms in the community center to the gymnasium area in anticipation of more people. That anticipation of a much larger crowd of people can be seen in the picture in this article. The planning committee is already considering Mobile’s Convention Center as an option for 2025 if it appears that the event will ‘Need a bigger boat” to handle next years crowd.
Africatown’s Breakfast with Santa event has been successful and grown over the years because of the team of individuals that the event manager, LaMiya Packer, put together and kept together so that now they all take their role seriously and know what to do when the time comes. Miya’s team were able to register everyone, feed everyone, take pictures with Santa for those that wanted them, do a couple of Christmas Story readings and have the kids pick out the toys they wanted all within a two hour period. Miya’s team consist of Miya Packer – event coordinator, Trevin Grove – Santa, Thelma Owens – Ms. Santa, Charlie Walker – Grinch, Juanita Miskil – Cook, Sherry Williamson – 2nd Cook, Darnell Grimes – D.J. and Santa Helpers – Tracey Packer, Percy Packer, Traylan Packer, Rhonda Burroughs, Lamikhail Harris, Felice Harris. In addition, others that always show up and pitch in to help include: Ruth Ballard, Mae Jones, Rev. and Ms. Christopher Williams, Calvin and Darlene Martin, Lamar and Chiquitta Howard, Joycelyn Davis and current and past C.H.E.S.S. Interns that are at home for the holidays and want to pitch in to help. This year those interns were Carlos Knight – now attending South Carolina State University and Taylor Nelson & Custen Sankeria both seniors at Blount High School.
As mentioned above, the planning committee is already making plans for a successful Santa Breakfast Event for 2025. If deemed necessary, they might have to move the event out of Africatown to accommodate the ever increasing crowd at the event. However, all the volunteers mentioned above are Africatown Natives and will make every effort this Africatown Event remains within the Africatown Community. Ever since the Africatown Community was placed on The National Register for Historic Places in 2012, Africatown Natives have created and conducted about 10 events every year that are conducted on a national and local level that are held within the Africatown Community. In addition, The Africatown Heritage House, The Africatown Town Hall and newly constructed Africatown style homes were created to bring tourists and locals into the Africatown Community not send them away from the community.
Dr. Major Joe Womack USMCR(ret)
Executive Director of africatown-chess.org
251-404-9558 & jnwomack1@yahoo.com