by Sean Markland

Supportive Peers, a local Bellbrook organization where high school students support children with disabilities, is hosting its annual Christmas event this weekend. This celebration is one of the organization’s biggest events of the year. The goal of Supportive Peers is always to create spaces where children with disabilities feel included.

The annual event, held in the Bellbrook High School cafeteria, auxiliary gym, and music hallway, is going to be filled with fun activities like crafts and a meet and greet with Santa.

Lead peer member Layla Hanks shared her excitement for the event. “I am most excited about the number of kids attending this year and all the new activities we planned,” Hanks said.

Hanks also described their plan to create a magical hallway the children would walk through. “The new activity I’m most excited about is coming up with a hallway filled with lights, music, and fun decorations,” Hanks said.

In addition to fun crafts and games, “We are getting a visit from favorites like Santa and Buddy the Elf,” Hanks said.

Planning for the event began early. “We started preparing back in October to make sure everything was perfect for the kids,” Hanks said.

Senior Alison Gerbic is “most looking forward to spending time with her peers and seeing them have fun with all the different activities.”