Christmas Miracles are NOT Reserved for Hollywood
Erie Street’s Spirit of Christmas
My father, Angelo Tomaselli spent his life sharing the Spirit of Christmas with our community. For him, Christmas wasn’t just a season, it was a state of mind. Maybe you saw that Christmas Spirit in the hundreds of Santa figures on year round display. Maybe you joined him on his many trips to Frankenmuth, to browse the World’s Largest Christmas Store. Maybe you got an anonymously donated Christmas gift or ate at his Christmas lunch in City Hall. It could have been any of those things, but you couldn’t escape his Christmas Spirit when you drove down Erie Street during the holidays.
During his time in Willoughby, my father was the driving force behind the Downtown Christmas light display. In his over 20 years with the city, he expanded the display from a single tree in the park, to the celebration of Christmas as we know it today.
Erie Street in Willoughby has become a holiday destination for all over Northeast Ohio. They come to enjoy the displays, to watch the changing lights and even visit Ole’ St Nick himself. The Downtown Willoughby display was even the backdrop for a Hallmark Christmas movie. It is easy to say the Tomaselli Spirit of Christmas was felt by too many people to count, and that makes us smile.
Erie Street Miracles is dedicated to honoring that Spirit. This charity is dedicated to providing Christmas mornings to families uprooted by domestic violence, burdened by illness, or searching for some spirit in the season. That may mean answering a letter, placing a call, or delivering a gift for under the tree.
When you become part of, or donate to Erie Street Miracles, you are making sure someone who thought the holiday might pass them by has something to remind them of the Miracle of Christmas.
In 2020 we focused on filling Christmas wishes for families in need from WomenSafe and Forbes House. We received families’ detailed Christmas lists, and were able to grant every wish! In 2021 we doubled that reach, and also sponsored families from the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. In 2022 we doubled again! Helping families from Re-Education Services Mentor Campus and McKinley Outreach Center in Willoughby. In 2023 we added three more partners and reached more families than ever. In four short years we have been able to provide miracles to close to 250 children, mothers and fathers!
If you want to sponsor a whole family’s wishes, or donate enough to get a handful of items, you’re helping to deliver Miracles. Please join us as we continue our journey. We are committed to growing our impact each year and bringing Angelo Tomaselli’s Spirit of Christmas to those who can use it the most.
Buon Natale