What a nightclub crowd: elegant young adults in the latest and flashiest, glittering stilettos, Santa hats and gentlemen in black ties or silk Christmas colors. And there was something else special to this night, the party goers arrived on Tejon Street with armloads of new stuffed animals, kids’ books and Christmas-wish toys.

Such is the YOT Club tradition.

For 19 years the young adult crowd, partying in formal finery, has provided for the children who might otherwise not have Christmas dreams come true.

This YOT (toy spelled backwards) Club, 600 strong on Nov. 14, filled the back of The Mansion, and banked under the Christmas tree, 625 books, 225 stuffed animals and 1057 toys to fill Santa’s bags. YOT folks also donated $4000 for scholarships to both the Colorado Springs Conservatory and to Southern Colorado Youth for Christ.

In early December Santa made the toy delivery to a singalong family assembly at Monterey Elementary School in Harrison District 2.

Books went into Stockings for Kids, a 20-year project that this year provided more than 350 stockings for little ones at Early Connections Learning Centers. Jessie Latham, who started Stockings for Kids with Denise Oldach, was near the Christmas tree at YOT Club collecting the books delivered. Stockings for Kids’ community volunteers secretly fill needs for the most needy of the children in the school’s programs. Now teamed with YOT Club, it can also put two books into every stocking. In addition, this year a YOT supporter donated enough stuffed animals for all the youngest of the Early Connections children.

Host and hostess for the YOT Club celebration were Aidan Ryan and Chad White and Santa’s volunteer helper elves were kept busy circulating through the packed crowd. At 10 p.m. the party turned from cocktail reception to an after party and went strong for the rest of the night.

Info about YOT Club: YOT Club Colorado Springs on Facebook and yotclub.org

More photos: gazettedev.gazette.com/life/around-town