Another Awesome Signing Santa
The 14th annual Signing Santa event for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing children and families was another winner.
“It was a great event,” said D&HHS community and partnerships manager Erica Chapin. “We had almost 90 children who came out, plus parents and other family members. Probably 200 people total, all of whom seemed to have a smile on their face the whole time.”
While Signing Santa was the big draw (as he is every year), there were also lots of crafts and giveaways to keep attendees entertained.
And every child who had a chance to spend time with Santa went home with a gift, thanks to generous donors, including community members and employee groups at LARA (The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs).
Chapin also thanked the numerous sponsors, including Meijer, Hungerford Nichols, Sorenson and Quota of Grand Rapids, as well as the 30 volunteers who kept the event running smoothly from start to finish.
D&HHS executive director Deb Atwood said her staff looks forward to the event every year.
It’s our favorite,” she said. “To see a child who is Deaf, DeafBlind, or Hard of Hearing have that experience with a Deaf Santa who literally knows their language takes my breath away every time.”
The 2023 event included not just Santa but also numerous interpreters so that everyone had access, one of the D&HHS hallmarks. Interpreters were at the entrance, at the different crafts and there for the signed story times.
“Kids were excited to see Santa of course,” Chapin added with a smile. “Families were chatting with one another while the kids played games or opened their gifts from Santa. It was great to see so much joy in one space.
