Santa trades sleigh for Harley

[totalmotorcycle]

Santa trades sleigh for Harley
Wednesday, December 20, 2006 - By Sarah Elizabeth Villicana, The Porterville Recorder - portervillerecorder.com




Around 300 local children invaded the front entrance of the Porterville Police Department on Tuesday to catch a glimpse of “Santa's Big Ride.”

Members of the newly formed Youth Services Foundation Porterville and police Explorers played the part of Santa's little helpers on a chilly winter evening.

From 6 to 8 p.m. all children were invited to meet Santa Clause - the one and only big man in red - and see the Harley Davidson police motorcycle. Santa traded in the sleigh for a faster, sleeker ride this Christmas.

Children sat on Santa's lap and had their pictures taken with Old Saint Nick.

Rocking back and forth to help herself stay warm, Strathmore resident Ana Maria San Miguel, 17, said she remembered sitting on Santa's lap as a youngster and wanted her sister to enjoy a similar memory.

“I've never sat on Santa's lap before,” said Magdalena San Miguel, 8.

For her first face-to-face appointment with Santa Clause, Magdalena had a pretty good idea of what she wanted this Christmas. Bratz dolls identified by their oversized eyes, full lips and dark makeup, top the wish list.

The first 150 children to sit on Santa's lap had their picture taken for free by Donnette Silva Carter, courtesy of the Porterville Chamber of Commerce.

Free candy canes were also distributed to the crowd of little hands and big smiles.

Porterville Interim Police Chief Chuck McMillan called the turnout for Santa's Big Ride, “absolutely fantastic.”

“This is something to show the community that we're working to make a positive difference for our young people,” McMillan said.

McMillan is an active member of Youth Services Foundation Porterville, which was created this summer to identify and meet the needs of children in the Porterville community. He said there are already four youth-oriented events now being discussed for 2007.

Children also had an opportunity to enter into a holiday raffle, sponsored by AR Group, for a genuine black-and-white Porterville police peddle car. Two-year-old Sade Gerom, who attended the event with her grandmother took home the prize.