Grinch greets limo-loading gift givers in Monroeville

Combine one of the holiday season’s biggest stars with a seriously stretched vehicle, and you get to deliver a slew of seasonal cheer.

That’s what the organizers had in mind with a load-a-limo event featuring the Grinch, which was held Nov. 25 event in the parking lot of Dr. Cleveland Steward Jr. Elementary School, just across the street from Monroeville Public Library.

A library staff member — don’t tell the kids, but she was children’s librarian Olivia Moe — donned a costume to portray Dr. Seuss’ green meanie-turned-sweetie, greeting youngsters as they arrived to make donations to the nonprofit Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes.

“The children come and they give a gift, to hopefully make the Grinch’s heart grow bigger,” Cathleen Griffith, who does marketing for the charitable organization, said. “This is the first that we’ve ever done this, and we’re hoping that the load-a-limo event is going to be a big success.”

As the morning at Cleveland Steward progressed, that seemed to be the case.

“We have been getting a phenomenal response. People have been great, bringing bags and boxes full of toys,” Hope Benson, head of children’s services and outreach at the library, reported.

In turn, they went into a limousine from the fleet of Elite Coach Transportation Inc., owned by Greg Feorene, a Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes trustee.

From there, the donations will be distributed throughout the region.

“We support lots of police departments,” Griffith said. “We give the toys directly to the police so that they can help families in need.”

The chairman of Toys for Pittsburgh Tikes is Javid Shojaie, who owns Jaden’s Catering in Monroeville. Each holiday season, he collects donations at the business on William Penn Highway.

Another load-a-limo to benefit his nonprofit is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Meadows of Monroeville Original Frozen Custard, 4329 Northern Pike. Featured will be free scoops for kids 12 and under, coloring pages and crafts, and a visit by Santa Claus from 1 to 3.

In the meantime, Monroeville Public Library is hosting its annual Grinchmas celebration from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 2. The free program is open to all ages, with no registration required.Monroeville Recreation Department and the library will present a drive-through Winter Wonderland from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 9 at Community Park West. Families can look for the likes of the Clauses, the Grinch, Elsa and Anna from “Frozen,” and Buddy from “Elf,” the holiday movie favorite that’s celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

“You don’t have to get out of your car, because it’s always cold,” Benson said. “But you do get to meet all the characters, and it’s a whole lot of fun.”