Marley McDaniel, 4, and baby Rebel McDaniel, four months old, visited with jolly old Saint Nick at the Breakfast with Santa event Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Syracuse Community Center. In addition to a free breakfast, children also made crafts and wrote letters to Santa.

SYRACUSE — Over 500 people, which included children and their families, spent Saturday, Dec. 5 having Breakfast with Santa at the Syracuse Community Center. Children also made crafts, met Santa, and had a free breakfast.

The annual Breakfast with Santa event is sponsored by Wawasee Kiwanis Club and six other agencies. The Wawasee High School band also performed Christmas music for an hour.

In addition to a free breakfast, children also met with Santa Claus, had their photos taken with him, took part in arts and crafts activities, and wrote letters to Santa. Syracuse Boy Scout Troop No. 728 also made cookies and the Syracuse-Turkey Creek Township Public Library had a book raffle.

The Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum also had a craft activity. Children were able to make a salt dough ornament to take home.

Other agencies that helped make the annual event a success included Syracuse Knights of Columbus, Lakeland Youth Center and Syracuse Parks Department.

It is estimated that 500 to 600 people come to the Breakfast with Santa event each year. The event lasted three hours.