B.A.C.A. Christmas Party for the Kids – Lake Oconee, Georgia

When the last of November rolls around, all you can find to cover is toy runs. I noticed that I began to sound like Scrooge this time of year to some bikers. I was thinking if I attended one or two toy runs I would lose this feeling. On any given weekend in December you can find at least 10 toy runs taking place on a Saturday. B.A.C.A. and a couple of other groups from the area do such great work for the community that I just can’t say no to their events. At least the Christmas party would be a different event to cover.

I like to get there early and check the place out. When I walked through the door around 1 o’clock I found everything was already set up for the kids to arrive at 2 p.m. One of the bikers, Tall Horse (Marvin Pelfrey), was wearing a big red nose and he also had on a red, blue, and yellow wig. I said to myself, “I hope this is not going to be their version of Santa.” I was glad to hear that Santa had not arrived at this time. When the kids began arriving, Tall Horse started to blow up balloons for the kids that shot across the room making a funny noise and the kids just laughed. Marvin was doing a great job in getting all the kids in a party mood by clowning around with them.

If you have read one or two of my articles you know that I have always got my eye on the food bar. To my surprise the kids went for the sub sandwiches, chicken strips, and fruits drinks. I hate to say that I didn’t get the chance to attack the food bar like I wanted. I didn’t even get to try some of the fancy pastries at the end of the table. I hate to tell you, all I got was one drink, a cookie and a quarter of a sub. Besides, the food was for the kids, and I was to busy watching the kids having fun and taking photos.

When Santa (Jim Souter) walked through the kitchen door, all the kids got excited and started waving at Ole Saint Nick. I was amazed to see Dr. Jones playing Mrs. Santa Claus and was thinking that they couldn’t have picked a better person. Besides (don’t tell her husband) she looked right cute in her red and white suit. One of the first things that Mrs. Santa asked for was that all the children come up front to help decorate the tree. Mrs. Claus and the children had the help of Ric Lavoie and Dennis Levitz in placing Christmas ornaments up high on the tree. I got tickled when I looked over and saw that Santa was holding two hands full of Christmas ornaments that the kids brought to him. When they finished with the tree, Mrs. Santa started helping Santa hand out the presents. I sat down on the floor in front near one of the tables taking photos. This would put me at eye level of the all children as they received their gifts. I wasn’t paying attention on what was taking place around me. All of a sudden I found myself surrounded by children who came over to sit with me. When you get my age you have a hard time getting up off the floor without a little help. I didn’t want everyone see me crushing a bunch of 4-year-olds trying to get up. I knew I was going to be here for a while waiting on the kids to clear out. Once the kids started getting their presents they were bringing them back and opening them around me. I knew that I was going to be here for a while. This is where I got my presents for Christmas. First, I got a close look at the smiles on their faces as they opened their gifts. Next, I was able to capture the smiles on their faces with my camera.

At the end of the day I was tired, but I left the party with a good feeling of seeing the smiles of the children who received presents from Santa Claus. I did have one bad feeling when I walked out of the building that Sunday. I felt bad because I was only an observer of this event and not an active participant in helping the Bikers Against Child Abuse raise money and toys for these kids. This is the first time in years that I have seen the end results of the toy runs I have attended. I wish everyone had the chance like I did to see the smiles on the face of a small child or the fear on their faces of that man in the red and white suit. I hope you will be like me next year, working to help the kids have great Christmas.

By Tommy Pittard