Spirit of the Season Shining Brightly

 It was both a beautiful and heartwarming sight.

 Those who attended the Sixth Annual Every Child’s Dream community dinner at Sayville High School were welcomed by volunteers of every age who “rolled out the holly” and “decked the halls” with splendid decorations to give a special celebration to those who “Need a Little Christmas!”

Held for the first time this year at Sayville High School, the dinner event, provided by Lands End, accommodated the nearly 700 invitation-only guests at two separate seatings in the bedecked High School Cafeterias. Holiday melodies performed by the talented students in the chorus, directed by Mr. Hoffman, lifted everyone’s hearts, while in a spirit of goodwill and good cheer, volunteers tended to “stations” that distributed coats, gloves, blankets, and other items which had been wrapped by student clubs and service organizations, ensuring that everyone received a gift that night.

 This annual event, conceived and launched by Ken Mangan six years ago, aims to help the homeless or economically disadvantaged in the community and gives them opportunities to enjoy that they might not otherwise experience.

 While the success of the evening was obvious in the excited voices of the guests, the true meaning of this special season of love and light was reflected in the beaming faces of the Sayville Community members and High School students who volunteered.