While Black Friday prices may have enticed some locals to shop for bargains, others braved the cold to attend the annual Christmas in Downtown street party hosted by Main Street Vero Beach. It was a brisk night with everyone donning jackets while dancing to GT Express on stage, shopping at vendor booths and awaiting a visit from Santa.
“It’s more holiday-ish,” said the Large family of the wintry chill as they waited patiently for Santa’s arrival.
As Santa rode in on a sled led by a team of Vero Beach High School cheerleaders, children shouted and strained forward to get their first glimpse of the jolly man in red.
“Has everybody been good this year?” Santa asked, as his fans responded with a resounding “yes!”
It may be brisk for Floridians, but Santa said he was very happy to be in Florida, where he could get out of his fur jacket and put his feet in the warm sand.
Gavin Legg, 2, appeared overwhelmed at the prospect of actually seeing and speaking to Santa, as did most of the smaller children. His mother, Kerri Lowther, spoke to Santa for him, saying, “He wants everything but he was would like some trucks this year.”
Joined by Santa, Vicki Gould, immediate past president of Mainstreet Vero Beach, turned the switch and lit up the holiday lights at the Heritage Center, heralding the official start to the Christmas season in Historic Downtown Vero Beach. The lights and the children’s excitement generated a whimsical holiday spirit, with people smiling more and opening their wallets wider as they passed the Salvation Army Kettle bell-ringers.
The event was the official kick-off to the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign. From now until Christmas they plan to be seen and heard all over town in hopes of raising at least $100,000 to offset yearly operating costs.
Their Mobile Canteen was open, passing out warm popcorn and serving as a reminder of one of its primary functions – to feed those in need.
Shortly before Christmas last year, the Salvation Army lost one of its biggest supporters, Bob Macgowan, who initiated the Mobile Canteen in 1999 as an outreach to people who were unable to visit the Salvation Army Soup Kitchen and partake of their hot meals.
“With a few sandwiches in his minivan and using his own gas, Bob turned the canteen into a three-times-a-week event, made entirely of volunteers,” said John Corapi, Salvation Army Director of Development. “All of them were recruited by Bob to feed the disabled, homebound and the homeless from Sebastian to Gifford with this custom-made mobile feeding vehicle.”
Corapi praised Macgowan for tirelessly finding creative new ways to bring in donations of food and money to the canteen each year.
“When Bob was alive he ran the truck for about $15,000 per year by going to all the stores personally and convincing them to donate food. Now it costs us about $35,000 in grant money to fund it,” said Corapi.
Macgowan also coordinated the bell-ringers who annually stand sentry at the Cardinal Drive post office. He and wife Diane made sure the spot was always covered, even if they had to do it themselves. Bell-ringers who continue to volunteer at that site do so to honor Macgowan’s memory.
