Photos By Terry Gilliam

 

By Felix Hoover

For YourNewsColumbus.com

 

A special red-suited elf recently revealed a part of his resume that’s not likely to be seen on any of this season’s TV specials.

“I’m also president of the Mount Vernon Plaza Resident Council Tenants Association,” said the brown-skinned man who was introduced to the crowd on Saturday at the King Arts Complex as Santa Claus. Some folks know him as Keith E. Sullivan Sr.

He and Mrs. Claus, who looked amazingly like Neighborhood House worker Angela Drew, mingled with the crowd at the first Taste of Mount Vernon Extravaganza.

“I’ve done this several years and what we try to do is let kids in the community see a Santa that looks like they look,” Mr. Claus said. “There are a lot of things that we do to see that the children have the positive role models that they need in the home and out of the home. And I’m one of them out of the home today.”

Hattie Hutchins attended the event with a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter, Shyla Hutchins, 6, and Olivia Ibanez, 8. The girls have taken part in summer programs at the King Arts Complex and were excited about a day of fun and activities.

Some of the natural products, vitamins and a display of hats caught the eye of Theresa Gunnell, who modeled one of the stylish chapeaus.

Admission was $1 or a canned good, which was donated to the food pantry at the Neighborhood House.

Vendors let visitors know about a range of goods and services that are offered in the neighborhood for Christmas shopping and the rest of the year.

The vision of the extravaganza was “to bring the old vibe back to Mount Vernon Avenue,” Coordinator Al Edmondson said.

Gladys Murray, a member of Chi Eta Phi Inc., a sorority of black nurses, administered blood-sugar tests as part of the health screenings at the event.

They assured the curious that Santa would leave with a clean bill of health.