During this season, our Rodgers Forge Community Association (RFCA) board members are busily coordinating holiday activities. Santa's Forge contact, Lawrence Swoboda, has received word from the North Pole that Santa and his elves will be touching down in Rodgers Forge shortly before Christmas for the annual Santa Visits. If you wish him to stop at your house, please let Lawrence Swoboda know ASAP at swoboda.lawrence@gmail.com. To help Santa and Lawrence Swoboda coordinate accurately, please include: name(s), and age(s) of child(ren) to be visited, address, your telephone number and your email address. Dates and times are TBD and will be announced on Nextdoor Rodgers Forge and via email to those who sign up.
Another festive activity is the Door Decorating Contest. Forgers love to dress their doors in holiday finery and the RFCA loves to acknowledge them. The categories to be judged are best Colonial (nonelectrical decorations, spotlight illumination acceptable); best traditional (electrical, self-illuminating accepted); most festive and most original.
Every home in Rodgers Forge will be judged and is eligible to win a prize. The judging committee will look for doors that display the creativity of the homeowner rather than a store-bought fixed display. The areas included in the judging will be the front door and the surrounding door frame and porch entry area. The judging will occur around December 15.
Children will look forwartd to the St. Pius X Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 14, from 9-11 a.m. This year marks the 10nth annual breakfast. It is always greatly anticipated by youngsters who love the tasty pancake breakfast and visit with the jolly man in red.
Later they have fun shopping for family and friends in the kids-only Secret Santa Shop. Parents look forward to the Christmas Craft Fair that will be held this year from 8:30-12:30 a.m. Local artisans always have unique items for holiday and personal gifts.
Reservations are strongly encouraged for the pancake breakfast and visit with Santa. The breakfast is $7 per person and reservations may be made at http://www.stpius10school.org click on the GIVING tab and go to the link for Breakfast with Santa.
Merry music makes the holidays livelier and the Christmas concert in the Sundays at Central's series will do just that. The Chancel Choir, the full orchestra, the bells and Central's magnificent pipe organ will converge for "The Greatest Story Ever Sung." This rousing concert invites the audience to join in this joyous celebration of Christmas carols. The popularity of this concert fills two sessions. The Christmas Concert will ring through the halls on Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. Central Presbyterian Church is located at 7308 York Road.
If you have youthful book lovers on your holiday list, you might consider the Dumbarton Middle School Book Fair. Family Night is December 4, from 5-7:30 p.m. However, in a nod to busy lives and modern technology, online shopping is available, from 8 a.m.-3 p.m., until Dec. 13. To shop online, go to bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/dumbartonmiddle. The middle school is located at 300 Dumbarton Road.
Amid all the Christmas festivities, our RFCA Cub Scout Pack 439 will be accomplishing another of their outreach activities, when members visit the Emeritus Assisted Living Community to sing for the residents and to play bingo with them- — the highlight of the visit!
The Cathedral/St. Pius X/St. Thomas Aquinas Mom's Group is also in the Christmas spirit. On Dec. 19, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., they will gather for a Christmas party at Villa Assumpta. At a later date (TBA), the Moms' Group will take their annual trek to the Shops at Kenilworth for pizza, trains and Santa!
On Dec. 7, we commemorate the 72nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and our entry into World War II one day later.
Although recent temperatures belie the fact, Dec. 21 is officially the beginning of winter.
We hope that all of you will take this hectic time in stride and not become overwrought.
Till we meet again —-