Santa Claus and his elves gave out more than 2,500 toys to children on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the St. Charles Parish Toy and Gift Event at the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center in Luling.
The 1,262 St. Charles Parish children who attended the event roamed the aisles of toys and selected two items to take home. Children also sent letters to Santa, and met the Grinch, Cinderella, Belle, Batman and Bluey.
The annual event is coordinated by the Toy and Gift Event Board. Sponsors of the event include Toys for Tots, Rotary Club of St. Charles, Valero, The Times-Picayune Doll & Toy Fund, United Way of St. Charles and Bunge.
Jeanne Arabie, a Toy and Gift Event board member who has been involved in the event for five years, said the children loved seeing Bluey, a Disney character, at the event.
“I didn’t know who Bluey was before Saturday, but I learn quickly,” Arabie said. “The children loved him.”
Arabie said students from Hahnville and Destrehan High Schools Interact Clubs kept the line moving.
“This was the first time we didn’t have children waiting in line to pick their gifts,” she said. “I want to give a big shout to out the Hahnville and Destrehan students.”
The St. Charles Parish and Gift Event dates to the 1970s, originally beginning with a simple list supplied from local area churches of children in need. With the help of local volunteers, the event eventually grew in scope and size.
