Blair County NAACP Presents Christmas Event

Branch #2252 hosts Soul of Christmas Celebration at Historic Gable’s Building

Altoona, Pennsylvania — The Blair County NAACP recently announced the return of pictures with Santa to the Gable’s Building in downtown Altoona. According to a press release from the Branch, the “event [was] scheduled to coincide with both the city-planned Christmas parade and the lighting of the tree in downtown Altoona.” Attendees were encouraged to bring food donations for the Mountain Lion Backpack Program.

On December 1 and 2 from 3:00 to 8:00 PM, the public was invited to the 12th Avenue side of the former William F. Gable Co. Building to get pictures taken with Santa and enjoy some hot cocoa and cookies. Pictures from the event, which are posted below, were $10 (or $5 with the donation of a food item) to benefit the Branch’s operations in the community. Photography was provided free of charge by NAACP member Tomrisha Butcher, CEO of High Profile Talent Agency, LLC.

“The event is a great way to close out our 100th anniversary,” said Blair County NAACP President Andrae Holsey. “One of the first things this branch did was organize a Christmas Party to benefit the poor in Blair County.”

“With the Backpack Program relying entirely on donations, organizations like ours need to step up and help support them,” said co-organizer Bryan D. King. “Not only [was] the event meaningful for people who grew up going to Gable’s at Christmas time, but it [benefits] a great program that feeds a thousand students each week.”

Branch officers and volunteers welcomed dozens of community members back through the doors of the main lobby to sit with Santa and enjoy tours of the historic site. The Blair NAACP plans to continue working with the building owner to encourage diverse representation of businesses in the space as development plans move forward.

Pictures from Soul of Christmas 2023 (Day 1, Friday, December 1)