dlyon  Jan 7 2005 - 8:29am  Local News   

By FRANCES MORALES
Chronicle Staff Writer
WILLIMANTIC — The Three Kings finally came to Willimantic Thursday to celebrate their day with hundreds of children and families at Windham High School.
It was a day that brought many to celebrate the “Latino Christmas,” which drew not only Latinos from the community, but even the state and local police, who helped to give candy to the children.
As it has always been, Willimantic’s Three Kings Day celebration was well attended and festive.
Despite the winter weather, more than 340 families from surrounding communities were registered for gifts and more than 700 children roamed the high school’s cafeteria.
“This event includes more people, especially the immigrant community that otherwise would not do it,” said selectman Juan Perez, also a member of Colectivo Mestizal, the local Hispanic cultural organization that sponsored the celebration.
The event drew folks from throughout the community, not just Latinos.
“This is our first year here,” said Jessica Sacilowski of Willimantic, a mother of two. “We are learning more (about the Three Kings Day) as we go.”
The festivities brought many to join in and celebrate, including Windham First Selectman Michael Paulhus and state Rep. Walter Pawelkiewicz, D-Windham.
“My favorite part is the look on kids’ faces, costumes that the kings come in with and the diversity of the music and the great food. I’ve never said no to pork, rice and beans,” Pawelkiewicz said.
The event, celebrated for 13 years in the Thread City, was sponsored by Colectivo Mestizal and put together by Even Start, a locally based, family/social services agency, which prepared all of the gifts for the children.
From Mexicans, to Spanish, Puerto Ricans and Guatemalans, Three Kings Day is a holiday with a longstanding tradition that is celebrated by a majority of Hispanics.
It was a holiday Pawelkiewicz has celebrated for 55 years.
“Three Kings Day is a special day for my culture as well because my mother is Ukrainian and we celebrated Three Kings Day,” Pawelkiewicz said.
A Spanish family of Chaplin also came to celebrate their faith.
Maria Jesus Gonzalez came to celebrate Three Kings Day with her husband and daughter.
According to Gonzalez, in Spain, the children must place a pair of clean shoes under the Christmas tree with a note of what they want the three kings to bring them.