Holiday party brings Utah military families together

SALT LAKE CITY — Some military families in Utah welcomed in the holiday season in a special way.

They gathered at a Christmas party in Layton on Sunday to meet Santa Claus and enjoy cookies, part of an effort to make this season a little brighter for them.

“We love hosting this event,” said Glady Larsen, marketing and community engagement manager at Layton Hills Mall, where the event took place.

The party was sponsored by Blue Star Families, a nonprofit organization that connects military families and helps them create communities of support.

“[Our military families] give so much to us all year round, and this is just a little token of our appreciation to them for their sacrifice that they give throughout the year,” Larsen said.

“Today’s event was very good,” said Shaleena Saleet, who attended with her young son. “He is still a little scared of Santa, but he got to color, and he got to take pictures, which is what we get to send to his dad who is deployed.”

The cookies, which were donated by Mrs. Fields, were also a big hit.

“He ate all the sprinkles off of it,” Saleet said.

Saleet said Blue Star Families, which was founded in 2009, has helped her and her husband as they navigate military life while living in Utah.

“We have no one here, but when I first heard about Blue Stars, it helped me connect and build friendships throughout the community,” Saleet said.

For her, the nonprofit makes all the difference.

“It does give families like us an opportunity to create these long-lasting friendships but also provide us when we are in need,” Saleet said. “Especially with the past government shutdown, it was really hard on my family and I, and even when there was an event, I was able to share it with other military families that [were] in the same situation as me.”

Blue Star Families plans to hold other events this holiday season. To donate to the organization’s Utah chapter, visit its website.