Children sat at round red and green tables topped with glitter, scissors, paper, bright fabrics and pre-cut stockings. They decorated holiday ornaments and even cupcakes.
About 40 children and 25 adults Saturday attended the first Kids Christmas Workshop held at La Rosina’s Banquet Room, 259 E. Main Street and started by Michele Gandy of Michele’s Alterations.
The event, which included lunch for the children, consisted of five craft stations available to make fabric wreaths, painted ornaments, stockings, decorated cupcakes and greeting cards.
Gandy said she came up with the idea to have the holiday craft event during a summer sewing class.
Gandy said that the Ansonia Lion’s Club and other individuals and businesses, such as Lanza Restaraunt, Witherspoon Catering, Bling and Fabulous Weddings, Inc., contributed items and money to kick off the event.
Parents, teachers, and nonprofit administrators from Ansonia Community Action and the Tinney Community Center attended to assist the children. Business owners were eager to sit and string shiny items side-by-side with the children.
“Michele and I came up with the idea to do this,” Selina Showard, the owner of Bling and Fabulous Weddings, Inc. said. “At this rate we will try to do this every year as an annual event for kids of Ansonia and the surrounding area.”
Jill Brown, of Ansonia Community Action said that they posted signs and sign-up sheets to encourage residents to attend.
“We are so excited, we had more than 40 kids here,” Brown said. “A lot of local residents volunteered food.”
Chanelle Ribas brought her eight year-old daughter, Allaurah, and helped her create a Christmas card.
“This is great. We got a form about it from school. I will be back next year.” Ribas said.
Many of the volunteers were Gandy’s childhood friends from Ansonia. Harriet Brown, from Witherspoon Catering, was eager to help Gandy.
“Michele and our families grew up together and we try to support each other in whatever we do,” Brown said.
Barbara Casagrande, education coordinator from Tinney Community Center, Ansonia, attended with four children from the center and her own two grandchildren.
“I think its great,” Casagrande said. “ We have a parent and family program and this is exactly what we do in parent and child activities.”
