Across Milwaukee on Christmas Day, the holiday spirit was felt as community members, first responders and organizations gathered to support one another.
That admirable assemblage doesn’t even mention some of the more famous, anonymous individuals who started the day by greeting kids at Children’s Wisconsin hospital in Wauwatosa.
Santa Claus, a trusty elf, Spiderman, Captain Marvel and other superheroes, were hoisted by local fire trucks on Wednesday morning to offer well wishes to the patients and workers who awaited their arrival.
More: With snow on the ground, it looks like Milwaukee will see a ‘white Christmas’ in 2024
“Merry Christmas,” Santa bellowed upon his arrival, while an elf welcomed the famed man ecstatically. “You make Santa very happy!”
Area fire departments from Milwaukee, West Allis, Wauwatosa and St. Francis banded together to mark the holiday for the seventh year, said Milwaukee firefighter Trevor Pinkalla.
The event began after Pinkalla’s own son was in the hospital for six months with cancer and inspired the departments to try and bring holiday cheer to kids who can’t be home for the holiday, he said. The inclusion of superheroes is to be respectful of kids who may not celebrate the holiday.
“Being a Milwaukee firefighter and seeing these children come here constantly, we wanted to bring them a little joy,” he said. “We wanted to make sure they know Santa is still with them, even though they’re in very tough spots.”
More: First Baptist in Waukesha embraces Christmas themes of rebirth, goodwill all year.
Meanwhile, across the city the Salvation Army and its host of volunteers were offering what the organization calls the biggest holiday meal in Wisconsin at the Baird Center.
About 4,000 meals are prepared for the Christmas Family Feast, which is now in its 35th year, said Major Beverly Gates, the area commander for the Salvation Army in Milwaukee County.
The meal created a lively scene.
Disc jockey Homer Blow played a range of songs, from Christmas classics to soul music, and emceed the event. He has volunteered for the feast for 18 years, and welcomed those in attendance not as guests, but “as family.”
More: You could call it the Waukesha Christmas TV episode of ‘Happy Days,’ with good reason
Santa Claus made an appearance, as some danced to the tunes and kids delighted in ice cream for dessert.
Lines of attendees trickled in for the meal — turkey, green beans, white bread and stuffing among the offerings. Others waited patiently for haircuts from barbers like Kenny Jones, who goes by Haircut Jones, and his student, Dynell Wimberly.
Others waited patiently in line for free bus tickets, toys and packaged Hostess treats.
“I love the spirit of what Christmas really is,” Blow said. “Christmas is about giving love.”
Roughly 425 people volunteered to make sure the event ran smoothly. Among them were Vera Pleas and members of the Schutz family. Helping out with the event they say has now become part of their Christmas traditions.
Tracey and Larry Schutz, along with their son August, are not new to volunteering. Their service began nine years ago by filling drinks. Now, they serve food.
“It really makes us feel good,” Tracey Schutz said.
Pleas is from Chicago, but has driven to Milwaukee the last six years to volunteer for the event with her sister.
On Wednesday, she handed out bus tickets to those who attended.
More: How much will the average Wisconsin parent spend on Christmas?
The meal was a way for some, like Nia Ramirez and her son, Ahanu, to spend the day in the company of others. They moved to Milwaukee from Texas two years ago. They didn’t want to be alone during the holiday.
Others like Angel Dotey Murdock Sr., his wife, Alley, and brother Andrew, tried out the meal for the first time.
Angel said he was from Los Angeles and had never experienced something like the meal.
“It’s nice and lively,” he said. “I’m happy to be here.”
For Eric Campbell, the meal is a poignant and important tradition. He has turned out to the annual feast for a decade. Campbell planned to spend Christmas with his grandchildren later in the day, and possibly take them to a movie.
“It captures my attention and gives me motivation to keep going on,” Campbell said of the community meal. “Being a believer, it helps a lot.”
David Clarey can be reached at dclarey@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Christmas in Milwaukee: Santa greets kids at hospital, meal feeds thousands