It was "Christmas in July" in Jim Thorpe on Friday at the free summer lunch program for children and families sponsored by St. John's Lutheran Church in the Heights section of town as Kriss Kringle himself arrived to greet all in attendance.

According to the Rev. F. Peter Muhr and program originator Bonnie Hoffman, the free summer lunch program, which is held in conjunction with the Masons of Jim Thorpe at the Masonic Fellowship Hall at Fifth and Center streets on the east side of town involves all the churches and various community organizations that participate in volunteering to help out.This week, the volunteers were from Christ United Church of Christ in Jim Thorpe.The free summer lunch program will be held from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday through Friday until Aug. 11.Friday's event was dubbed "Mary's Loving Spoon Full Christmas in July" and according to chief cook and bottle washer Mary Horn, this year's event was designed in memory of Randy Smith.Mary added that in addition to lunch, the volunteers also help people in any way that they can with love, care, someone to talk to and prayers.Along with Muhr, Bonnie Hoffman and Mary Horn, some of the other volunteers helping out were Arlene Dombrosky, Ginny George, Dion Smith and Kriss Kringle himself.