School District Provides Much Needed Holiday Cheer during Special Dinner for Community

NOGALES - January 18, 2010 - “This is the only Christmas celebration our family will be having this year.”

If Nogales Unified School District Super-intendent Shawn McCullough needed any confirmation that his efforts to rally the school district and the community for its inaugural Holiday Dinner were worth while, Board Member Frank Morales could easily have given him his answer. 

Morales listened as a grateful mother thanked him and the District for holding its inaugural Holiday Dinner on Saturday, Dec. 19 inside Nogales High School’s Ray Molera Gymnasium.  She told Morales the dinner would be the full extent of the family’s holiday celebration.

Her story probably wasn’t unique. According to District Grants Director Javier Barajas, more than 400 people participated in the event, featuring music, gifts, food and a special appearance by Santa Claus himself, who took pictures with all the children in attendance.

A local Walgreens added to the holiday celebration, agreeing to process the photos with Santa for free.

McCollough explained the idea behind the event was “to have families enjoy the opportunity to come together, share a family dinner and enjoy the holiday spirit on behalf of the schools in Nogales.”  

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the sit-down Holiday Dinner was the speed in which it was coordinated – only three weeks!

The project was organized by Angelica Heredia, community outreach coordinator, who successfully received donations from a number of Nogales businesses. Southwest Foods donated the necessary food, while the company’s employees volunteered during the meal. “We are blessed to have so many people and businesses here in Nogales willing to contribute when needed,” McCollough said.  During his holiday message, he added: “Nogales can do truly wonderful things when it focuses on the important stuff, like improving our community.”

In addition to the community support, Barajas said the evening wouldn’t have been possible without the many volunteers from each of the District’s schools as well as its central office and maintenance departments, which worked on its own time to make the event a success.

Barajas said the District plans to make the Holiday Dinner an annual event.

“We’ve already been contacted by people who want to be involved next year,” he said.