![Group Shot Photo of people around an outdoor bonfire.](https://www.casserlyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Group-Shot.jpg)
by Donna Stiglmeier, Director of Casserly House
On the cold evening of December 21st, many families from the Casserly House neighborhood gathered at Hale Reservation for a Winter Solstice bonfire, a night-time guided hike, and smores and hot chocolate by the fire. The children who went to Hale’s Outdoor Learning Adventures summer camp were thrilled showing their parents where they spent 5 weeks last summer.
Those families and many more were grateful recipients of stockings assembled by the Ignatian volunteers, Blankets by Project Linus (in memory of Sr. Peggy Sullivan’s sister), and gift cards from Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church, V!Healthy, and a CSJ community pod. Volunteer ESOL instructors alongside adult learners gathered to learn English while making ornaments, playing winter bingo, and eating baklava! Warmth in numbers!!!
![stockingsivc Photo of three people smiling and filling stockings with candy canes.](https://www.casserlyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/stockingsivc.jpg)
![IMG_4728 Photo of children and adult volunteers in costumes and wigs, smiling at the camera](https://www.casserlyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/IMG_4728-scaled.jpg)
![Jayden with Smores Photo of young girl painting a pumpkin while wearing a doctor costume](https://www.casserlyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Jayden-with-Smores.jpg)
![Baklava Bingo Take II Photo of adult immigrants and their English instructor gathered around a table, playing BINGO.](https://www.casserlyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Baklava-Bingo-Take-II.jpg)
![Sofia, Jahaziel, and Kamila Warming Photo of two boys bobbing for apples outside while a third boy waits for his turn](https://www.casserlyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Sofia-Jahaziel-and-Kamila-Warming.jpg)