The Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church 61st Annual Children’s Christmas Party was held at the IBEW Local 58 in Corktown on Saturday, December 9. This was their first time back indoors since the COVID pandemic started in 2020. Close to 500 kids between the ages of 5-10 in Southwest Detroit attended the new candy lane concept where they were offered face painting, pizza, popcorn, a picture with Santa & Mrs. Claus and many gifts like a coat, gloves, thermal underwear, socks, toy, stuffed animal, coloring book & crayons.
Local Amicci’s Pizza owner, John Grossi was the pizza sponsor making and donating over 80 pizzas at the party and Andrew & Camille Cracchiolo helped keep the traditions alive by filling in for Santa & Mrs. Claus while they are in the North Pole preparing for Christmas. Many of the current volunteers previously attended the party as children or have some affiliation to Southwest Detroit and The Brennan Family has pledged a donation towards an endowment to keep the party going for many more years to come.
The Christmas party was started by Monsignor Clement Kern in 1962 when he tapped Leo Derderian, former owner of the Anchor Bar; Bob Popa, former press secretary for Mayor Coleman Young, and his wife Phyllis; Judge Vince Brennan; and Doc Greene, then a Detroit News columnist to start this wonderful initiative that has been around for 61 years.
If you are interested in learning more about the party, donating or volunteering next year, please visit https://mhtdetroit.org/outreach/childrens-christmas-party.
