Balloons inflate holiday spirits at Padanaram event
Visitors to the inflatables included Peyton Mello, Alex Cohen, Kenna McNeil, Nina Silva, Nora McNeil and Karina Jeronimo, who helped her brother Carlos and Braiden Norton set up the display. Courtesy photo 
The Cordeiro family, from left, Landyn, 4, Nelson, Bella, 2, and Dara enjoyed their visit. Photo by: Sandy Quadros Bowles
Rudolph made an appearance before preparing for his long journey on Christmas Eve. Photo by: Sandy Quadros Bowles 
A snowman and his penguin friend appreciated the winter weather. Photo by: Sandy Quadros Bowles 
Helping with the inflatables were, from left, Braiden Norton, Devin Bordner, Carlos Jeronimo, Shelby Rapoza, Karina Jeronimo, Rylee Bordner and Porter Bordner. Submitted photo 
Work began earlier in the day to set up the inflatables. Submitted photo.
Visitors to the inflatables included Peyton Mello, Alex Cohen, Kenna McNeil, Nina Silva, Nora McNeil and Karina Jeronimo, who helped her brother Carlos and Braiden Norton set up the display. Courtesy photo
The Cordeiro family, from left, Landyn, 4, Nelson, Bella, 2, and Dara enjoyed their visit. Photo by: Sandy Quadros Bowles
Rudolph made an appearance before preparing for his long journey on Christmas Eve. Photo by: Sandy Quadros Bowles
A snowman and his penguin friend appreciated the winter weather. Photo by: Sandy Quadros Bowles
Helping with the inflatables were, from left, Braiden Norton, Devin Bordner, Carlos Jeronimo, Shelby Rapoza, Karina Jeronimo, Rylee Bordner and Porter Bordner. Submitted photo
Work began earlier in the day to set up the inflatables. Submitted photo.
Rudolph, Frosty, Snoopy and several other family-favorite characters blew into town Sunday afternoon.
The characters were inflatable balloons, part of the annual inflatable event at Elm and Bridge streets.
Like Frosty when the temperatures rose, these characters could only stay a while before they melted _ or in this case, deflated _ away.
But the organizers hoped that, in the three-hour window when the event was held, spirits rose among visitors.
The event returned this year after being formed by teenagers Braiden Norton and his friend Carlos Jeronimo.
At the time, the holiday festival was cancelled and the teens wanted to organize something to spread holiday cheer.
This year’s event was more popular than last year, Jeronimo said.
Families visited to view the inflatables, sip hot cocoa, listen to holiday music and, the organizers hoped, make a donation to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital’s Pediatric Department.
The cause is personal for Norton, who recovered from a series of brain surgeries at Spaulding after doctors found a tumor on his brain stem when he was 18 months old.
The event allows Norton to share his enthusiasm for inflatables and move them from his home to a public display.
“It makes people happy,’’ he said.
That was the case with Nelson and Dara Cordeiro, who brought their children Landyn, 4, and Bella, 2.
“She loves these balloons,’’ Nelson Cordeiro said of his daughter. They came to view the inflatables and “just to enjoy’’ the day, he said.
That was the goal, Jeronimo said.
“It’s a great event,’’ he said. “It’s a good way for people to come around and contribute’’ to a good cause.
Event Date
