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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Families came to Union's pancake breakfast for sausages, pancakes and juice. Pictured are Ethan, Liam and their dad Adam Rudolph.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.The Poland girl's basketball team made breakfast for Poland Union Elementary's fourth annual pancake breakfast. They made more than 1,000 pancakes for more than 300 people.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Poland Union Elementary had an area set up in their gymnasium for children to write letters to Santa. The letters were collected the library. Pictured are, from left, Gio and Jenna Nair.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.The YSU Ads Club volunteered their time at the pancake breakfast. They collected donations for The Make-A-Wish Foundation. They also sent the letters to Santa to Macy's, which will donate a dollar to the foundation for every letter.
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Neighbors | Zack Shively.Children sat with Mr. and Mrs. Claus in Poland Union Elementary's library during their pancake breakfast on Dec. 9. Pictured are Aliyana and Colton Broderick with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
By ZACK SHIVELY
Poland Union Elementary school had their annual pancake breakfast on the morning of Dec. 9.
The school had a pancake breakfast in the downstairs cafeteria, a place to write letters to Santa in the gymnasium and a place to mail the letters to Santa in the library, where they could ask sit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
“It’s a great way to spend a Saturday,“ said principal Michael Masucci. “Sometimes the simplest things are the best.“ He also said that he loves when the parents, students and community all get together.
The girls’ basketball team helped throughout the building. They had several rotating stations where some cooked and helped serve the breakfast and others helped take pictures with Santa and mail letters to Santa.
“It’s our way to give back,“ said Nick Blanch, coach of the girls’ team.
The YSU Ads Club also helped out during the event. They collected donations for The Make-A-Wish Foundation. They send the letters to Macy’s, which will donate a dollar to the foundation for every letter sent to them.
YSU’s Ads Club is a student run organization of public relations majors that does paid work with clients in the area. They work closely with The Make-A-Wish Foundation and were invited to see a wish be fulfilled in Niles. Advisor Michael Pontikos, a professor at the university, said the work the group does makes “the college experience more real.”
The school has had a pancake breakfast for four years. This was the first year the girls’ basketball team made the pancakes.