Kiwanis Club party starts holidays in Campton Hills

The weather outside the Congregational United Church of Christ in Campton Hills was frightful Saturday, but the mood inside was quite delightful, as the Kiwanis of Campton Hills hosted its holiday kickoff party.

Christmas songs played softly in the background as 9-year-old Laura Berberi of St. Charles talked to the jolly man in the red suit. Laura told him that all she wanted for Christmas this year was a puppy — and for her older sister to be nice to her.

As he talked about the party and the wagon ride, Carl Zeigler, co-founder of the Campton Hills Kiwanis, chuckled, “Don’t call them donkeys or horses; they are definitely long-eared mules.”

The frigid November weather didn’t keep a few people from enjoying the wagon tours of the church grounds, but most of the action was inside the church.

The mixer included kids activities, a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, face painting, and rubber band bracelet making. Six-year-old Olivia Barnes of Elburn took advantage of the artists on site and had a candy cane painted on her left cheek.

Zeigler noted that the Campton Hills Kiwanis had donated more than $1,400 over the past year to local groups, including the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Elburn food pantry. Zeigler said the kickoff party was “primarily to invite the community to come and have fun,” but it also is a fundraiser.

More information on the Campton Hills Kiwanis chapter, which was chartered in 2012, is at camptonhillskiwanis.org.