Nardone Music Studio

A teacher and her students played holiday music for patrons lined up Saturday morning in Hesse Park, while park employees dressed as Santa's elves organized volunteers inside and wrangled children and their families outside — all in anticipation of Santa's arrival.

For the past 11 years, the Rancho Palos Verdes Parks and Recreation Department has held a fundraiser for the REACH Program, a recreation program for young adults with developmental disabilities.  

The event was organized and run by volunteers and city employees, as well as REACH participants who handed out gift bags and sold items to those in attendance.

Local music teacher at Hesse Park, Michele Nardone, volunteered her time and talent by staging a concert before the official Breakfast with Santa fundraiser began.

Perfectly timed to coincide with the end of the concert, Santa arrived. But not in a sleigh for this event.

With the help of volunteers from local Fire Station 106 at Indian Peak, Santa was brought in on a big, red, shiny fire engine with sirens and lights announcing his arrival.

As families scrambled to get a photo with Santa, others moved inside to begin the breakfast. 

Nancie Silver, recreation program supervisor, said 147 tickets were sold for the event this year.

"Unfortunately, we had to turn some people away," she said referring to those who showed up for the breakfast without pre-purchased tickets.  "We don't mind others coming to take pictures with Santa, we don't keep him on a short leash."