Local News

Santa Makes an Early Stop in LaPorte

(LaPorte, IN) - As the Center Township Trustee, Lisa Pierzakowski is many things to many people. On Thursday night, she was a Christmas elf on a special mission.

 

“We had a little boy, who is five and autistic,” Pierzakowski explained. “And he wrote a letter to Santa Claus— the Santa Claus downtown— and Santa and Mrs. Claus came to my office with the letter and asked if I could help out the little boy.”

 

The boy’s single mother told Pierzakowski that she’s also taking care of an elderly grandmother and doesn’t have much support. Pierzakowski and her team put together a Christmas care package, including a holiday feast and of course presents for everyone, even grandma.

 

Thursday night, Pierzakowski accompanied Santa Claus in a fire truck to make the delivery. Sleighbells sounded their arrival. “When Santa got there with those bells, the little boy was so excited,” Pierzakowski said. “He didn’t want to give those bells up.” Then the Center Township Fire Department gave Santa and the little boy a ride in their fire truck. “He was just so excited,” said Pierzakowski. “The mom said this was the best Christmas ever for him.”

 

The encounter was also special for Pierzakowski and her helpers. “It really brought back the true meaning of Christmas for me, because it’s just been a rough year. There was not a dry eye at our first stop.” The Center Township elves went on to visit one more family before they drove out of sight.

 

Some would say the Santa Claus who made Thursday night’s deliveries looked remarkably like State Representative Jim Pressel. But that’s probably just a coincidence. What’s for sure is that Christmas means something in LaPorte, a small town full of big hearts.

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