LAPLACE – When Berlinne Franklin of LaPlace saw a flier for a Pictures With Santa event at her son’s daycare, she was happy to see a local and easily accessible option for holiday fun with her two young children.

Originally from Miami, Florida, Franklin was used to finding whatever she needed by taking public transportation 20 minutes in any direction. Moving to the River Parishes was an adjustment in terms of locating resources for her family.

That’s why she was happy to learn local husband and wife duo Byron Francis Jr. and Anitra Blue-Francis organize an annual Christmas event. This year, children and families were invited to take pictures with Santa, participate in a cookie decorating contest, mingle with friends and enjoy snacks while listening to Christmas music. There was also an opportunity for parents to win gift cards from an hourly raffle that aimed to lessen the burden of holiday expenses on local families.

Franklin’s 2-year-old son and 5-month-old daughter were captivated from the moment they arrived, and she was grateful to leave with a $50 Visa gift card.

“As a mom, I enjoyed it,” Franklin said. “It was something that was near me versus being 45 minutes away. In LaPlace, we don’t always have that. Having the event here made it more attainable for people who live here and cannot go toward the city.”

Berlinne’s son especially enjoyed meeting Santa Claus, played by Byron Francis Jr. The inspiration for the Pictures With Santa event traces back to the summer of 2017, when Francis posted a video of himself imitating Santa’s iconic “Ho, Ho, Ho!” Friends and family who saw the video urged him to dress up as Santa come December.

His wife, Anitra Blue-Francis, saw Pictures with Santa as an opportunity to serve local families. From growing a national financial planning practice, Blue-Francis has learned the impact proper financial planning can have on a community. That all starts with outreach and education to ensure every child has a fair opportunity to become successful in life.

“Growing up, it’s important to see yourself in other successful people,” Blue-Francis told L’OBSERVATEUR this month. “We want children to see successful business owners who look like them and have an opportunity to share in the joys of the season through the gifts of food, fellowship and fun.”

This year, children who participated in the cookie decorating contest had a chance to win nine stockings stuffed with educational books, gadgets and fun trinkets.

The cookies used in the contest were donated by Apple Berry Delight. Other sponsors supporting the Francis family’s initiative included Aimee’s Dance Academy, In the City and Elite Homes and Construction.

Nadina Brown, owner of Apple Berry Delight, was ecstatic to support an initiative to benefit the families of St. John the Baptist Parish. While she is a LaPlace native, she has worked in New Orleans for more than 20 years, and most of her giving back efforts have been concentrated in that area.

“I personally believe that every opportunity that presents itself to give back to the community creates a profound impact on the world around you,” Brown said. “I’ve always been highly influenced by people who are extremely philanthropic, and I’ve always prayed for God to bless me to bless others. When Anitra approached me about the cookies, she blessed me by allowing me to partake in a beautiful community initiative that could bring joy to families during the (Christmas) season.”

Brown has donated thousands of cookies for luncheons, galas and charity events. In the event she cannot guarantee a 100 percent donation, she offers extensive discounts.

“It was the perfect way for me to contribute to the community, and I look forward to doing a lot more in St. John Parish,” Brown said.

Aimee Mulkey, owner of Aimee’s Dance Academy, was also happy to sponsor the event.

“It’s something great for the kids, and I just think it was good that they had it,” Mulkey said. “I always want to support the children in St. John Parish.”

Gwinette Pierce attended the Pictures With Santa event for the first time with her daughter and her grandchildren. Her 3-year-old grandsons and 5-year-old granddaughter had a blast participating in the cookie decorating contest. Her grandson was excited to win a stocking and find a container of slime inside.

“The entire experience was wonderful,” Pierce said. “I had not been to anything on that scale before. There are people with kids that may not have an opportunity to have that experience during the holidays. I think the continuance of the event, from a community standpoint, will allow people to continue to gather and have a good time and have something that’s really clean and fun.”

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