Student Santas, Stooges Restaurant will give out good cheer on Christmas

Christmas is a time of giving and celebration, but can be a painful reminder of need.

Efforts by one restaurant and one organization aim to help bridge the gap for families in need or for those who simply want to celebrate the holiday with others.

Student Santas is holding its third annual free dinner Christmas Day. The meal will be served at Jefferson Elementary School, 520 S. Minnesota Ave. in Cape Girardeau, from noon until 2 p.m. The meal will be provided free by Isle Casino Cape Girardeau, organizer Jennifer Icaza-Gast said, and promises to be a meaningful event for everyone involved.

Icaza-Gast said about 600 tickets have been distributed, but the tickets are just to get an approximate count of how many people will be served, she said.

“We won’t turn anyone away,” Icaza-Gast said.

The first year, she said, Student Santas fed about 100 people with 150 volunteers. Last year, it was more than 300, with the same number of helpers.

It keeps growing, Icaza-Gast said, and she’s thrilled to see more people helping and being helped.

Santa Claus will visit, and each child will receive a toy, Icaza-Gast said.

More than 1,500 books also will be distributed, thanks to the children’s book drive by the Cape Girardeau Barnes & Noble store, Icaza-Gast said.

Children wait in line for presents and Santa during the Student Santas Christmas Day celebration Dec. 25, 2016, at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau.Andrew J. Whitaker ~ Southeast Missourian

Children’s activities also will be offered at the dinner, Icaza-Gast said.

The organization has adopted more than 250 families, Icaza-Gast said, meaning donors supply a family in need with Christmas trimmings.

Icaza-Gast said this is the 12th year for Student Santas, which she started when her children were small, and she realized one Christmas how heartbreaking it must be for a parent if they can’t provide a magical Christmas.

“God spoke to me in a big way,” Icaza-Gast said.

Several years ago, when a small child sent in a letter asking for a nice meal for Christmas, Icaza-Gast said she knew she wanted to do more to give back to the community.

She reached out to people she knew could help.

Lyle Randolph, vice president and general manager of Isle Casino, said what’s wonderful about this dinner is the opportunity to give families a nice meal when they might not otherwise have that opportunity — and it’s all thanks to the sacrifice of employees who volunteer on a holiday to make the event happen.

“If there’s anything our team members can do to make Christmas brighter for area families, that’s what it’s all about,” Randolph said.

Christmas isn’t celebrated because of material items, Icaza-Gast said, but the season is celebrated in a spirit of giving.

In Jackson, Stooges Restaurant at 507 W. Main St. will provide a free meal on Christmas Day for anyone needing a meal or who doesn’t want to be alone that day.

Pat Wissman, left, helps Lyus, right, pick out a toy during the Student Santas Christmas Day celebration Dec. 25, 2016, at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau.Andrew J. Whitaker ~ Southeast Missourian

Seatings are at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. Monday.

The 1 p.m. time slot is reserved for families, as Santa Claus will make an appearance, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page.

Reservations are required. Call (573) 204-7187.

Stooges’ Thanksgiving dinner in November fed 125 people, according to an earlier Southeast Missourian story.

Stooges owner Ron Cook said Friday he had wanted to have a free meal on Christmas for many years. Stooges finally held its first one in 2015.

“I wanted it for those having no place to go or maybe down on their luck financially,” Cook said. “Loneliness hurts every bit as much as not having the money on Christmas.”

Cook said he and his friends, coworkers and other volunteers have been successful with the meal.

“Once we started having this meal, no way we would ever think of not doing it,” Cook said. “The reward each of us get is seeing the gleam in the people’s eyes we are helping.”

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

520 S. Minnesota Ave., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

507 W. Main St., Jackson, Mo.