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Youngsters get food and presents at Santa breakfast


Youngsters get food and presents at Santa breakfast

Dec. 24 -- Five-year-old Priest Hummingbird wasted no time enjoying the bike he got at Saturday's Santa Claus Breakfast, presented by Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

The moment fraternity members presented him with the bike, Priest sped across the Muskogee High School cafeteria floor.

Priest was among 200 children attending the event. Bikes, drones and other gifts were given children who had winning tickets.

Doyle Rowland, president of the fraternity's Beta Chi Lambda chapter, said the breakfast is focused "on the kids."

"We provide scholarships for seniors and during Thanksgiving, we provide things for the family," Rowland said. "This thing is basically for the little kids, for the elementary students. It's our way of giving back to them. We try to give to every part of the family."

Children joined a sing-along to "Jingle Bells." Fraternity member Stephen Wiley led a Christmas rap.

Hannah Clairday brought her daughter, Alli Bellah, 4. Clairday said she wanted to enjoy the breakfast and hang out with her friend and the friend's grandson.

"It's pretty neat," Clairday said, adding this was her first time to come to the breakfast.

Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity member Cedric Brown II and Breanna Hutchinson brought eight children.

Brown said he and a lot of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity members grew up together.

"They all helped me grow as a man, so I want to support them," he said.

Santa didn't make it to Saturday's breakfast. But there were plenty of donors who gave like Santa.

Rowland said McDonald's prepared free breakfasts and orange drinks

"They are probably the main contributor in making the thing happen," he said. "They have helped us at least for the past 15 years putting this thing on and it's been such a reward to have them in our corner."

Muskogee Police Department donated bicycles to give to lucky ticket holders.

Rowland said about 100 parents or other adults came to the breakfast, bringing the total to 300 attendees.

"We always want more, we were very pleased with them," he said. "More so, I was pleased with the people in the community who reached out to give us some help."

He said Dr. Jewel Daniels, a Muskogee urologist, was a major supporter, and members of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Mayor Patrick Cale, and Deputy Mayor Derrick Reed also helped.

Priest said he promised to share his bike with his 4-year-old brother, Bishop.

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