Mary Klootwyk
‘Tis the season to savor flavors, bask in the glow of pure holiday spirit, discover unique gifts, and commemorate the old and the new. It’s a period of celebrations, remembrance and memory-making, and gathering with family and friends—whether intimately in person or virtually.
SaddleBrooke Squares Dance Club did just this by celebrating with friends at their annual Christmas party with a potluck dinner at the Activity Center in SaddleBrooke One on Dec. 16. Tables were adorned with festive Christmas decorations and red tablecloths. The evening began with a social hour of conversation and laughter followed by dinner. Members of the club brought an assortment of delicious foods to share.
Dancers were also encouraged to bring an unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots, which the Golder Ranch Fire Department picked up during the evening. SaddleBrooke Squares feel it’s important to donate to this charity, as children living in shelters or low-income families may not have access to toys like other kids do. By donating toys, we can help provide these children with some sense of normalcy by giving them the same opportunities to play and learn as their peers. Through the gift of a new toy or book, Marine Toys for Tots programs bring the joy of Christmas and send a message of hope to America’s disadvantaged children. The Toys for Tots message of hope for the future has motivated youngsters to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. Toys for Tots not only benefits children, but also has a positive impact on communities, on businesses—large and small, on the Marine Corps, and on the nation.
Toys for Tots began in 1947 as a brainchild of Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks. Actually, it was his wife Diane who was the real inspiration. She had a few handcrafted dolls and asked Bill to deliver them to an agency that supports children in need. To date, Toys for Tots has distributed 652 million toys to 291 million deserving children. SaddleBrooke Squares encourages other clubs in the SaddleBrooke community to provide a ray of hope for the future of these children by collecting toys at their 2024 holiday event.
There was even a fun game during the evening where each person was given a green sheet of paper and instructed to place it behind their back and tear out a Christmas tree. The end results caused much laughter and some awe. At the conclusion of the evening, all departed with smiles and a full tummy, looking forward to seeing everyone again at the SaddleBrooke Squares dance on the following day. It was another get-together of friends to be remembered for years to come.
If you would like to try square dancing, check out our website www.saddlebrookesquares.com.