Santa and his elves at a prior Breakfast with Santa event, organized by the Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and held at the Norwich VFW Post 2782. After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the holiday event is returning from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 10 at the VFW, located at 61 East Main Street in Norwich. (Submitted photo)

NORWICH — The Chenango Memorial Hospital (CMH) Auxiliary have partnered with the VFW Post 2782 to bring back the Breakfast with Santa event from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 10 at the VFW, located at 61 East Main Street in Norwich.

Attending children and families will have the opportunity to enjoy a tasty breakfast buffet cooked by VFW Chef Erin Shapley-Blenis, Christmas songs performed by the Holy Family School choir and Christmas carols sung by local children, meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, take pictures, and enter to win a Christmas book tree.

The menu for the day includes traditional breakfast fare including eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, french toast, breakfast potatoes, orange juice, apple juice, hot chocolate, and coffee.

"CMH Auxiliary, in partnership with the VFW, we are hosting this breakfast, and it’s really an outreach opportunity for the children and the families in the community. We’re so happy to have this partnership," said CMH Auxiliary Member and Breakfast with Santa Co-chair Katie Voss.

Tickets for the breakfast are $10 per person, and are available for purchase at the Norwich Family YMCA, the Pink Door, online through a link provided on the Chenango Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Facebook page, or at the door the day of the event.

Voss said children who attend will receive a small gift from Santa, provided by the CMH Auxiliary. Plus, every family in attendance will be entered to win a Christmas book tree sponsored by NBT Insurance that's filled with books and crafts around this year's theme of diversity and inclusivity.

"Every family can enter into winning a Christmas book tree. This year’s theme is diversity and inclusion, so it’s decorated with all kinds of different books about kindness and everything. And they get the whole kit and caboodle: They get the tree, they get the books, and all the crafts," said Voss. "So one lucky family gets to go home with a tree full of wonderful books and gifts. So that’s an exciting part of it."

Breakfast with Santa first began in the early 1990s, and was originally held at Chenango Memorial Hospital as a way to help area children become more comfortable with visits to the facility.

"It used to be held at the hospital as a way for them to have a happy experience at the hospital. Come meet Santa, have breakfast with Santa, take pictures," said Voss.

"Be in a space that can seem scary and overwhelming at a lot of times and places," added CMH Auxiliary Member and Breakfast with Santa Co-chair Kelly Colosi. "But due to the huge capital project they did and just our growing numbers with this event we had to seek out support, and the partnership outside of the hospital."

The partnership began in 2017, and has been going strong ever since. VFW Post 2782 Commander Joe Santiago said they enjoy being a part of the event, and many members have shown their support by buying and donating tickets to be handed out to families in need.

"A lot of guys came in and said, hey, buy ten tickets at a time, give them to whoever you think. So we did that. I’ve had the girls, the bartenders, giving them out to anybody they think that needed them," said Santiago. "This is a great event. We look forward to it, we’re glad it’s back. It’s an outstanding thing."

"We have a lot of community angels who have donated tickets," added Voss. "We don’t want anyone to be deterred or can’t come because of financial cost and stuff. So we have a lot of people who have generously donated and made it possible for a lot of people to attend. So that’s a nice thing."

Another benefit, Santiago said, is that hosting Breakfast with Santa also provides an opportunity to teach local children about the VFW and what it means to be a veteran.

"All the kids get to come out and see their veterans, and see what the veterans is about. Part of the freedom that they have is due to all the people here: soldiers, sailors, all of them," he said.

Voss, Colosi, and Santiago all encourage area families to come down to the VFW on Saturday to enjoy a delicious breakfast and meet Santa Claus.

"We look forward to seeing families come back out again and be able to welcome Santa and have a great holiday season," said Colosi.