For 20 years, Hamilton Place Mall has celebrated the arrival of Santa Claus with much fanfare and aplomb—and the residents of Morning Pointe Senior Living communities throughout the Chattanooga (TN) area have been celebrating with them for nearly just as long. The parade celebrating Santa’s arrival at the mall is a beloved Chattanooga tradition, and each year, Morning Pointe residents and associates from all three Chattanooga-area communities look forward to participating.
More importantly, they relish the opportunity to give back to their community, as the $25 fee required to enter a float in the parade goes directly to a local charity. This year, all of the money collected benefitted The Forgotten Child Fund, which assists families in need.
In keeping with the theme of this year’s parade, “Toys, Trains, & Candy Canes,” the residents and associates of Morning Pointe of Chattanooga – Shallowford created a float to reflect the excitement of “kids in a candy store,” complete with bright colors and plenty of excited holiday energy.
“Riding on the float, residents waved, smiled and laughed all along the parade route. Clyde Edwards was in charge of the PA system and made sure to shout out a cheerful ‘Merry Christmas!’ to all of the guests in the crowd. Over 1,000 suckers were passed out by MP staff and volunteers,” says Holly Holcomb, the Life Enrichment Director at Morning Pointe of Chattanooga – Shallowford, describing the event. “Santa is officially on duty for the holiday season and we were thrilled to be a part of it all!”