Local events bring fun to holiday weekend, help those in need

Along with the elaborate feasts and family time, this Thanksgiving weekend gave Maricopans a chance to have fun and help those in need at the same time.

The first event happened bright and early Thanksgiving morning. The Second Annual Maricopa Turkey Trot was sponsored by the City of Maricopa Police Association. Participants could walk, trot, or run, either two miles or four, around the Butterfield Parkway loop in The Villages at Rancho El Dorado. The entry fee was a canned food item to be donated to the F.O.R. Maricopa food bank.

(Photos by Howard Waggner)

Later that morning was the Annual Turkey Bowl Flag Football Tournament at Pacana Park. The event was hosted by Maricopa City Councilmember Marquisha Griffin and her husband Joe. Donations were being taken to help the Mariano family, victims of a recent mobile home fire.

(Photos by Howard Waggner)

3 year-old saves baby from mobile home fire

Finally, Friday night saw the arrival of Maricopa’s most famous winter visitors. Santa Claus and his lovely wife were delivered to the "Southwest Pole" in Desert Cedars by a Maricopa fire truck. The Clauses will be holding court each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night from now until Christmas, and invite all local children to come down and let them know their wish list. The cost to see Santa is only one canned food item to be donated to F.O.R. Maricopa. The first night saw 34 kids confiding their Christmas dreams to jolly old Saint Nick!