Community spirit and a collaborative effort will bring Santa to North canton to once again light the community Christmas tree at the annual North Canton Christmas Sing &\; Tree Lighting held on Sunday\, December 7\, 2008\, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Festivities center around the front of the City Hall building at 145 North Main. \;The occasion will be emceed by North Canton resident\, former city councilman\, and radio personality Doug Lane. \;Honored guest will be the North Canton Mayor\, David Held. \; \;
The North Canton Area Chamber of Commerce hosts this event with the cooperation of the City of North Canton and Maple Street Commerce\, the current owners and developers of the former Hoover property. \;Tradition will be preserved and the tree will take its place on the Hoover lawn. \;
The tree is donated this year by the Ellsworth&rsquo\;s of Ellsworth Auto Body on East Maple. \;Henry A. Selinsky is again donating the transporting of the tree from its site to the Hoover Lawn where the Selinsky crane will hoist the beautiful tree into position. \;Coon Caulking\, also known for their generous community spirit\, will provide equipment necessary to place the lights and ornaments on the tree. \;The ornaments and lights were donated by former owner\, TTI\, to the care of the Chamber of Commerce and the City of North Canton. \;
\;
Free cookies are being donated again by Sodexho\, the caterer to Walsh University. \;Coffee is given courtesy of Starbucks at Washington Square. \;The Youth Group of St. Paul&rsquo\;s Catholic Church of North Canton will provide hot chocolate. \;The North Canton YMCA is providing volunteer help as well as stringing jingle bells to distribute to children to help call Santa to City Hall. \;The North Canton Fire Department will be escorting Santa and Mrs. Claus in a big red fire truck.
Hoover High School video journalism program headed by Tom Wilson and Tim McCarty will videotape the program to air on Channel 11. \;The North Canton City Schools choirs\, Vox Coeli\, the Select \;6th Grade Choir\, the Middle Notes\, the High Notes and the Hi Lo&rsquo\;s will sing between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. in between introductions\, a reading of &lsquo\;Twas the Night Before Christmas. \;
\;
There are several local opportunities in place locally for citizens to have the pleasure of &ldquo\;playing Santa&rdquo\; this holiday season:
\;
Santa will visit with children on the porch of City Hall. \;Santa and Mrs. Claus would like to ask the children and their families if they wouldn&rsquo\;t like to help others by donating a non-perishable food item when they come to visit. \;There will be a collection box on the porch of City Hall for canned or boxed foods\, which will then be donated to a local food pantry.
\;
The North Canton Chamber is the collection site for the program &ldquo\;Be a Santa to a Senior&rdquo\; of Home Instead Senior Care\, a franchise operation providing non-medical care to seniors and the homebound. \; \; Donors can come to the chamber at 121 South Main and select an ornament from the Christmas tree which will indicate the type of gift needed. \;Purchase the gift and return it to the chamber unwrapped. \;A local Brownie Troop will be wrapping and helping to deliver the gifts to seniors in need.
\;
\;The North Canton YMCA will also have a Community Giving Christmas Tree from which a donor may make a gift to a needy family. \;The YMCA is also a site for donation of winter coats to be donated to the Coats for Kids program.
\;
\;Also in North Canton on Sunday December 7\, the North Canton Heritage Society will be hosting their annual Holiday Home Tour from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. \;Tickets for the tour will be $10\, children under the age of twelve accompanied by an adult will be free. \;Call 330-494-4791 for more information or visit their website at www.northcantonheritage.org.
\;
Christmas on Hoover Farm will also take place on the 7th of December at the Hoover Historical Center\, Walsh University\, at 1875 East Maple. \;Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit with children and pose for pictures from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the dining room\, live music will fill the air with the sounds of the holiday while freshly baked cookies to be served in the tannery will fill the house with the familiar scents of the holiday. \;Call the Center at 330-244-4667 for more information.
\;