Santa’s helpers need help.
The annual Christmas Eve morning breakfast and toy giveaway that takes place Thursday, Dec. 24, from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at Phil Waterford’s Manteca Ford showroom on North Main Street is short toys and help for that day.
Pastor Mike Dillman, who is assisting with the undertaking, said there is a “dire need of more unwrapped gifts for the community children who will come and enjoy a hot breakfast and Santa toy give away.”
Those that can help are asked to drop off unwrapped gifts at the dealership through this Wednesday.
Those that want to help serve should arrive by 7 a.m. Thursday.
Last year more than 1,000 people were served the free breakfast.
MFC pays for lights
but not field use
There is some confusion on the part of some Manteca Futbol Club parents that are irked because the City of Manteca is trying to cover some of the costs they incur providing fields at parks for the club’s soccer games and practices.
They incorrectly believe the MFC is already paying those fees that are supposed to be $10 per game but have been waived in past seasons.
In 2014, the only checks the MFC wrote to the City of Manteca were for field light usage and field use fees for all but one tournament they hold each year. Manteca waives the field fees for the first tournament each year in April. The cost for lights and the other tournaments typically comes in between $10,000 and $18,000 a year. It essentially covers actual power costs and some staff time that is incurred.
The city is working with the MFC and Manteca Youth Association to start paying fees for field use for league games and practices. The city is seeking a nominal fee to help cover some costs so they can continue to provide some level of quality service for the groups and their uses. Little League and Manteca Youth Softball Association have already agreed to pay $5 per game/practice which is half of what 10 other local organizations pay as well as 10 outside groups.
Surrounding cities charge as much as $32 per game or practice for the use of fields in their city parks.
