IRONTON — Ironton children will have an opportunity to hand deliver those letters to Santa Claus this Saturday.

The Ironton Area Kiwanis Club will host its annual Breakfast with Santa Saturday.

Breakfast will include pancakes, sausage, milk, juice and coffee.

Kiwanis Club President Steve Call said the event is an opportunity for club members to help youth in the area.

“Every year we hear nothing but praise and thanks from the adults accompanying the children,” Call said. “It is an event that also allows the Kiwanians to give back to their community too.”

In addition to pancakes and sausage, children will have a chance to get their pictures taken with Santa.

“We host this event for the children of our community,” Call said.  “It’s an opportunity for them to have their picture taken with Santa Claus.”

Club vice president Bette Backus said the children’s reaction to Santa ranges from scared to excited.

“There’s usually one or two that are afraid but it’s pretty positive,” Backus said. “They get excited.”

Proceeds from Breakfast with Santa will benefit the Kiwanis Club.

The club supports community projects such as a monthly donation to the Lawrence County Health department for diapers and formula, a monthly donation to the local food bank, health kits for local school children and a scholarship to a graduating high school senior at Ironton High School.

“The whole reason for Kiwanis existing is to focus on children and the needs of children,” Backus said.

The club hopes to be able to increase the amount of the scholarship it offers to seniors, Backus said. The scholarship is currently $250.

“We try to focus on kids because they’re our future and the people that are in it care about kids,” she said.

Backus said the organization has been hosting the event for at least the last eight years.

Though the breakfast usually draws about 50 people, Backus said she hopes it will grow to become an Ironton staple.

“We’re hoping for a bigger crowd,” she said.

Backus encourages the members of the community to attend the breakfast.

“Our purpose is to support the community and that’s what we’re trying to do,” she said.

The cost for the breakfast is $5 per person. Children under the age of 2 will be admitted at no cost.

The breakfast will be at the AEP building on South Third Street in Ironton.