On Friday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 6, Sugar Grove Township held its annual Christmas event, Holiday in the Grove. The seasonal celebration included various activities with Santa, cookies and h
ot cocoa, breakfast and traditional photos with kids and family members, along with watching Santa light up the tree. There were three locations with multiple activities at each. The Sugar Grove community building had the main attractions, which were breakfast and pictures with Santa, as well as holiday-themed games for all ages. Across the street, the Sugar Grove United Methodist Church held a nativity walk, cookie decorating with Mrs. Clause and, most engaging of all, live reindeer. Lastly, a drawn carriage ride took individuals down the street to the Sugar Grove Public Library for holiday crafts. The two-day event began on Municipal Drive in front of the Sugar Grove Fire District building, where Santa arrived in a fire truck. As he got out, kids ran up to hug him and say hello.
After Santa greeted the kids, he walked over to the six-foot light switch to illuminate the new tree that had just been planted. Karen Pritchard, the Secretary of Kiwanis, which is the main volunteer group for Holiday in the Grove, has been volunteering for Holiday in the Grove since 1999 and has noticed some notable changes.
“A new tree was planted in front of the Sugar Grove Fire District building because the tree that had been used for years is dying, there has also been increased concern for the safety of participants since the tree is located just off of a state highway,” Pritchard said.
She also described another notable change, the setting for cookies and hot cocoa with Santa. This took place at the Sugar Grove Public Library, just down the street from the fire department where Santa lit up the tree.
The turnout on Friday night was large despite such significant changes since the previous year. Many children had watched the tree lighting and gotten hot cocoa with Santa at the library. Ava Dewig, a junior and volunteer through Key Club, dressed as an elf and guided families from the fire department to the public library.
“Holiday in the Grove is one of the events that I have been doing since I was a freshman, and I thoro
ughly enjoy it every single year,” Dewig said. “Going every year has been a great way to get more connections for volunteering in the Sugar Grove community.”
Saturday, Dec. 6, kids of all ages came to meet Santa and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Whole families also got the chance to take pictures with Santa. This year, Santa was played by Rick Montalto, a Sugar Grove Township member. Working with kids comes easy to Montalto. He had a career in law enforcement, and he was named “Officer Friendly” in all 13 grade schools he worked at. He also currently has seven grandchildren varying from ages six through 15. And his wife, who played Mrs. Claus is a retired kindergarten teacher.
“We have been around small children forever, and the memories I made through Holiday in the Grove will also stay with me forever,” Montalto said.
As people left the event, they had the opportunity to take the horse drawn carriage back to their home or to the Sugar Grove Library parking lot. On the way there, the riders got to listen to stories and historical facts about Sugar Grove. The overall experience for children and parents during Holiday in the Grove was widely appreciated.
“It was wonderful from the time I got off the fire truck at the tree lighting ceremony until the end of the breakfast with Santa,” Montalto said. “It was such a magical time for the children.”
