Published: November 20, 2009 11:15 pm      

City welcomes St. Nick as holiday lights shine

JOHNSTOWN — Thousands of people welcomed Santa Claus to Johnstown Friday evening during the annual Christmas parade and Light Up Night.

The parade started with the Wings of Hope Santa Run, which raised money to help two families battling cancer.

After Santa rode through the downtown in the parade, he stopped at the Gazebo in Central Park, where two young boys helped him to turn on the thousands of Christmas lights. He then visited with children.

Natallo Rocco, 2, of Johnstown, said that he was looking forward to seeing Santa. He was at the event with his parents, John and Amy Rocco.

Skyler Felosky, 6, of Benshoff Hill, was at the event with his grandmother, Michele Ream of Johnstown.

“I like Santa,” he said. “I’m going to ask him for a drum set.”

Miranda Kiser, 8, of Oakland, was riding on the Oakland Volunteer Fire Company’s fire engine that brought Santa into town.

“I like Santa very much,” said Miranda, who was at the event with her parents, David and Maribeth Kiser.

She asked Santa for a laptop computer, a boy Bratz doll and a Minty Dog Webkinz.

Her friend, Katelyn Ryan, 9, of Johnstown, said she asked Santa for a laptop computer and for all the children in the world to be happy.

Izzear Morris, 5, and his twin sister, Raelani Morris, of Johnstown, were at the event with their parents, Eugene and Susan Shaffer.

“I like Santa,” Izzear said.

Each sibling was going to ask Santa for a bicycle with Raelani also asking for a ballerina doll and snow globe.

Twins Natashia and Natasha Fason, 6, of Johnstown, were at the event with their father, Larry Fason.

Each said they were going to ask Santa for a toy horse with Natashia also asking for a Santa hat and Natasha, a Barbie doll.

Josie Blough-Smith, 8, of New Florence, was as at the event with her parents, Robin and Dona Smith.

“Santa’s cool,” said Josie, who was going to ask Santa for a hand-held video game.

Jim White, the city’s economic-development director, said about 2,000 people were in the park to see Santa.

“It’s always great to see Santa,” he said. “The children like him and the parents like him even more.”

Doug Puchko, of the Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership, which sponsored the celebration, said it was nice to see the park filled with so many children.

He said the Alternative Community Resource Program of Johnstown donated more than 500 treats that were distributed to children by students from Bishop McCort High School.