AURORA, Ill. (Dec. 10, 2025) — In a quiet gym at East Aurora School District 131’s Resilience Center, a dozen young faces lit up — not from sound, but from sight. Santa Claus was signing.
At the Aurora Lions Club’s 18th annual yule party, held Tuesday evening, Dec. 9, deaf and hearing-impaired students from East and West Aurora schools took turns sharing their holiday wishes in American Sign Language with Santa and Mrs. Claus — portrayed by Keith and Shelley Strnad of Oswego.
For the Strnads, both teachers of hearing-impaired students in Oswego schools, this was their fourth year donning the red suit and apron. What makes them special, said Lions members, is the way they “speak” Christmas fluently — not with words, but with hands, eyes, and heart.
About 100 students, caregivers, and educators attended the celebration, which featured pizza, gifts, and raffles. Fifteen Aurora Lions volunteers and several students from Fred Rodgers Magnet Academy helped serve food and hand out presents.
The annual event is organized in partnership with the Northeastern Illinois Association, a Sycamore-based special-education cooperative that supports children with hearing, vision, and developmental impairments across ten northern Illinois counties.
Founded in 1922, the Aurora Lions Club continues its mission of service under the motto “We Serve.” With the help of volunteers like the Strnads, the club proves that the spirit of giving — much like Santa himself — truly speaks every language.
For more information, visit Auroralionsclub.org.
