Sochi Estrada, Leticia Estrada, Itzel Estrada.
Hillhouse High’s Floyd Little Athletic Center turned into a “Winter Wonderland” Sunday, hosting a city-organized holiday-season celebration complete with bounce houses for the kids, a dj to keep the crowd upbeat and in good spirits, and entertainment that ranged from singing, rapping, and dancing.
Mikey Jay at Floyd Little.
Mikey Jay, music producer and CEO of Aigne Music Group, was full of energy and smiles as he hosted the event. Jay, who came from the Bronx, said it felt great to be back in New Haven. “I feel blessed and very humbled to be a part of this experience,” said Jay.
He was also wowed by the amount of people who came out for the event, and looks forward to being the host in the years to follow. Over 1,500 people attended.
Mayor Toni Harp played the role of Mrs. Claus, in a costume that she bought herself.
Some of the presents resent for plucking.
Before individually handing gifts to the kids, and taking pictures alongside Santa Claus (fire chief John Alston), she announced that this was New Haven’s fourth year putting this event together, and personally thanked public works department official Honda Smith for making it all happen.
“The kids depend on it,” Harp said of the 1,500 gifts distributed Sunday. “For some families this will be their only gift. We want people to know that we care about them”, said Harp.
Santa was seen dancing along to the music in between kids, as he helped Harp to distribute gifts, and take pictures with the kids.
“It brings tears to my eyes to see where I came from and know that someone did it for me, and now I get a chance to do it for others,” said organizer Smith, who remembered a similar event in her youth. “If just one kid paid it forward when they got older, it would mean the world to me.”
Honda Smith the the “give it forward” two-wheeler.
Smith decided to put a spin on this year’s festivities with a campaign called “Where’s Honda?” Volunteers would search for a little girl whose one request for Christmas was a bike. Then they’d present her with a purple bike, along with a certificate where she’d vow to perform a similar deed when she gets older.
As a kid Smith was given the opportunity to unwrap a purple bike for Christmas, thanks to a pastor at a community church in the Hill. His one request from her was to pay it forward when she got older.
Tony Desai, a public works supervisor, was one of the volunteers who played a big role in setting up over 2,000 gifts and organizing them by category.
Desai, who arrived at Floyd Little Athletic Center at 7 a.m. to help set up, said that he was excited to help put this event together for the kids. He was still going strong by late afternoon.
Itzel Estrada gets her gift from Harp and Alston.
Sochi Estrada, 7 years old, was just one of many who got to receive a Christmas gift. She said she she was happy that she got an art set with markers, colored pencils, and paper.
Harp, Alder Jill Marks, Capria Marks, John Alston Jr at the event.
Mayor Toni Harp played the role of Mrs. Claus, in a costume that she bought herself.Some of the presents resent for plucking.Before individually handing gifts to the kids, and taking pictures alongside Santa Claus (fire chief John Alston), she announced that this was New Haven's fourth year putting this event together, and personally thanked public works department official Honda Smith for making it all happen.
Here is another gift that will be handing to all of the people after Jan 1 2018
Mid-Year Car Tax Increase Coming
Walker-Myers told the two dozen attendees that the city will send out semi-annual car tax bills in January 2018 that will reflect a mid-year increase in the local motor vehicle mill rate from 32 to 37 mills. That means that residents will pay $37, rather than $32, for every $1,000 worth of assessed value for their cars.
http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/car_tax_increase_/