People started lining up at 3 p.m. on Thursday for the 5 o’clock start.   Around 600 members of the community showed up Thursday at Hart High School in Newhall for the Hart High ASB Community Holiday Dinner, according to ASB co-director Jamie Clack. ASB students served free dinner, gave each family a blanket, offered those in need a food and clothing drive, and gave kids an opportunity to meet Santa Claus for pictures and presents.  “We’re trying to bring the holiday spirit to the community,” Clack said Thursday after stepping away from the food line for just a moment to chat. “This is for anyone in the community, not just Hart High families.”  Frenchy Siebaldi, left, serves food to members of the community during the Hart High ASB Community Holiday Dinner on Thursday evening at the school. Michael Picarella/The Signal Clack added that the donations came from Hart High staff and Hart families. Hart staff, for example, collected money to purchase over 600 tamales from Jazmin’s Bakery in Newhall. Students began collecting toys and gift cards back in November.   Project Linus, which is a volunteer nonprofit organization that offers handmade blankets to children in need, donated about 350 blankets. Emblem Academy in Saugus gave about 200 blankets.  Ezequiel Mendoza, left, and Ava Caswell help members of the community with free blankets during the Hart High ASB Community Holiday Dinner on Thursday evening at the school. The 52 ASB students spent weeks wrapping gifts, according to Clack. She said they often did that on their lunch breaks at school. They had gifts for babies, and for boys and girls up to 12 years old. Teens got gift cards.  “It’s so wonderful,” Clack said. “It’s really a true community event.”  Assistant Principal Rich Gutierrez added that Honu Coffee in Newhall donated coffee. Other local businesses like Egg Plantation and Firehouse Subs also provided goods for the meals.   A long line of people to get food leads out the Hart High School cafeteria door and almost to the library during the Hart High ASB Community Holiday Dinner on Thursday evening at the school. Michael Picarella/The Signal “To see everybody come together as a group is amazing, particularly during this time of the year,” Gutierrez said. “The effort from the kids and everything they put into this — that leadership that they show is awesome.”  In the small gym on campus, Hart social workers and ASB students ran a food and clothing drive. Then, over in the bigger gym, guests got to meet Santa Claus and his helpers in a winter wonderland of Christmas trees and lights, snowmen, a gingerbread man and other characters from the North Pole.  “We’ve been doing this for over 30 years,” said Nicole Keaton, ASB co-director. “There are a lot of families just in need, and if we have the means to help with all the donations from our families, I think it’s just something we can do to give back.”  Hart High School Assistant Principal Liz Wilson said area families look forward to the event every year. People will wait in line for over an hour to get food. Then they’ll wait in line for blankets, for the food and clothing drive, and for Santa and gifts.  Kathy Orellano, Hart High social worker, packs up canned goods for a family during the Hart High ASB Community Holiday Dinner on Thursday evening at the school. Michael Picarella/The Signal Several families said they waited an hour to get into the event. Newhall resident Juana Villagomez and her family from Newhall got through the line in just 25 minutes. She said it was worth it — they enjoyed everything.  Pedro Morales Sr. and his family came from Canyon Country to take part in the festivities. His kids, 2-year-old Pedro Jr. and 4-year-old Alison, had just met Santa Claus and received gifts. They were excited to open them and more excited for Christmas to come. They wouldn’t have to wait much longer.  Santa’s helper hands a gift to Pedro Morales Jr. during a visit with Santa Claus at the Hart High ASB Community Holiday Dinner on Thursday evening at the school. Michael Picarella/The Signal The post Hart High dinner and winter wonderland worth the wait  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.