SLIPPERY ROCK — Rain might have stopped the Slippery Rock Light Up Night parade Monday night, but it didn't prevent residents and students from Slippery Rock University from kicking off the holiday season with Christmas songs and a visit from Santa.

About 50 students gathered at the SRU Alumni House along with a few residents for refreshments, music and a visit with Santa Claus.

Tom McPherson of Slippery Rock Development helped to organize the event with SRU.

"It's just a joint kickoff of the holiday season, and we try to do something for the town," McPherson said.

Even though the rain reduced the number of people in attendance, McPherson said everyone there had fun.

A food drive for the Slippery Rock Feed My Sheep Food Cupboard at the university also began at the Alumni House where a table was filled with donated food.

Along Main Street, decorated wreaths created by businesses and SRU student organizations are on 30 poles. The entry fee for decorating a wreath was a donation of 10 cans of food to the food cupboard.

Also on Monday, the trees along Main Street and the Christmas tree there were lit for the holiday season.

"The food drive will continue on through Christmas and this first batch is for Thanksgiving," McPherson said.

Marianne Fleis of Slippery Rock brought her 14-month-old son, Michael, to meet Santa.

"I think he's having a good time," Fleis said of her son. "He wouldn't sit on his lap, but it's all new to him. This is really nice."

Chelsea Nugent, an SRU student and leader of the Association of Residence Hall Students on campus, said she didn't think as many people would have come out for the event because of the rain.

Of the event, she said, "It's a chance for the town and university to come together and welcome the holiday season."

And she added, "We are continuing the food drive through Dec. 19 on campus so the students can empty out their cupboards at the end of the semester."