Children who are hearing impaired or deaf can meet a sign language-using Santa Claus in Aurora next month.

From 6 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9, Aurora Lions Club will present its 18th annual Yule Party at East Aurora School Dist. 131 recreation center, 417 Fifth St., Aurora. The event will feature chats with an American Sign Language Santa, a pizza dinner and gifts for kids.

More than 50 deaf and hearing-impaired students, teachers and caregivers are expected to attend. Students and educators represent West Aurora School District 129 and East Aurora School District 131, according to a news release.

A dozen Aurora Lions will volunteer at the event. It is held in conjunction with Sycamore-based Northeastern Illinois Association, a regional special-education cooperative that serves children with autism, hearing impairment and vision impairment from 10 northern Illinois counties. Kathy Reuter, NIA St. Charles office supervisor, coordinates student participation.

Oswego residents Keith Strnad and his wife Shelley Strnad will return to portray Santa and Mrs. Claus at the event. Both are Oswego educators.

Shelley Strnad teaches hearing-impaired students in third, fourth,and fifth grades at Prairie Point Elementary School, while her husband works in the same capacity with sixth, seventh and eighth graders at Traughber Middle School. Keith Strnad said he has worked as a signing Santa for 20 years and that this was his third stint with the Lions group.

Founded in 1922, Aurora Noon Lions Club is celebrating its second century of service to the Aurora area. Open to men and women interested in community service, the club meets at noon on the first and third Thursdays at Eola Taphouse, 444 N. Eola Road in Aurora..

With the motto “We Serve,” Lions volunteers focus on supporting causes including hearing and vision impairment, hunger, the environment, diabetes and childhood cancer.

Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization in the world. Some 1.42 million members in more than 48,000 clubs serve in over 200 countries and geographic areas worldwide. Since 1917, Lions have strengthened local communities through hands-on service and humanitarian projects and extended service impact through the Sycamore-based Lions Clubs International Foundation.

For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit lionsclubs.org.