8^th Annual Year of Joy Ice Skating Party hosts 200-plus children

Hundreds of children from underserved communities in Houston laced up their skates – some for the first time ever – and took to the ice for the 8^th annual Year of Joy Ice Skating Celebration at Discovery Green. The event was sponsored by H-E-B and the Houston Chronicle with support from the Astros Foundation and alliantgroup.

The Year of Joy Holiday Ice Skating Party began in Dec. 2016 by Houston Chronicle Columnist Joy Sewing, a former competitive skater who became Houston’s first Black figure-skating coach while in college.

“Our kids go from being terrified of falling to gliding across the ice by themselves in minutes. It’s amazing to watch, and it also helps build their confidence,” said Sewing. “So many children don’t get an opportunity to experience the joy of the holidays and try something new like ice skating. This is an experience that will stay with them forever.”

This year, participating school groups were MacGregor Elementary, Hartsfield Elementary, Hype Freedom School, Southside Community Center, Nehemiah Center, SEHAH Youth and Fitness Center and Be A Resource for Children, which supports children in foster care.

Several local competitive skaters dazzled with performances on ice, while onstage, there were performances by Skyler Clay who stars as “Clare” in Houston’s Urban Nutcracker, and Miss Houston ambassadors sang holiday tunes. Santa Claus, a volunteer with 100 Black Men of Houston, and one of his elves, Fox 26 General Manager D’Artagnan Bebel, were on hand for the fun.