mtoadvine@breezenewspapers.com

With sirens blaring, Santa Claus arrived in Lehigh Saturday afternoon atop a fire truck from the Lehigh Acres Fire Dept. Waving to the throngs of children of all ages, Santa jumped off the truck and headed to the front lobby of Lehigh Regional Medical Center, moving his way through the many children and their parents who were waiting his arrival.

In past years, the annual Christmas celebration was held later. But it was decided this year that Santa would arrive earlier so all the children could have their photos taken with him as a gift from the hospital.

In a small room, just off the lobby, Santa sat as the children stood in line, each coming up to have his or her photo taken. Sometimes there were babies that cried and sometimes, mom also got in the photograph. Eckelberry Photography in Lehigh Acres took pictures. The free photos were placed on a table in the hospital’s dining room where cookies and eggnog were passed out to the many visitors that filled the room. Several volunteers were on hand to make sure things went well.

Each child got a candy cane after his or her picture was taken from two of Santa’s elves that were volunteers.

While children lined up inside the lobby to have their photos taken, Jose Morillo, LRMC’s CEO welcomed the crowd and introduced those in the hospital who had planned the program. There was a chorus of children who sang traditional Christmas music and several children performed from Patti’s Dance studio.

The temperatures were in the upper 70s all afternoon, making the Christmas program a treat for visitors. Morillo switched on the lights of the giant-sized Christmas tree at the end of the program.