The only thing Dawn wants for Christmas is "to be safe and secure.'' Dawn is a single mom living in a Washington County women's shelter.

Tina, also living in that Fresh Start shelter and program, wants her family "to be happy.''

Saturday, these women and their children enjoyed the magic of the holiday season aboard the Santa Trolley at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Chartiers, Washington County. They were among 30 guests, from either Fresh Start or the Washington Family Center, whose admissions were funded through a donation from the Trolley Museum and by the Tickets for Kids Foundation.

The foundation obtains tickets to local arts and cultural, educational, sports and family entertainment events, then donates them to the more than 700 community-based organizations that serve underprivileged or at-risk families.

"We want all children to have the same opportunities regardless of family situation,'' said Vera Marelli, program director of the nonprofit, Pittsburgh-based charity.

The organization also collaborates with the Trolley Museum for other special events, such as Saturday's Santa event and the Easter Bunny Trolley and the Pumpkin Patch Trolley.

The Washington Family Center provides supportive and educational services to families, such as programs for children from preschool to eighth grade, parenting classes, tutoring services, an after-school program for at-risk youngsters and more.

Funding comes from grants.

Enthusiastic riders sang traditional carols as the trolley wound along a four-mile loop track through rural Chartiers. Children had their photographs taken with Santa as they shared their wish lists.

Kameron Patterson, 6, of the Family Center, said he wants "to get my Mom and Dad a computer so they can be smart.''

Phoenix Watson, 7, of the Family Center, said she wanted "Santa to visit everyone in the whole, wide world because I want everyone to be happy.''

Like Santa himself, Santa's Trolley, a 1926 vintage suburban trolley, shows no signs of slowing down.

Original advertisements like "Buy More War Bonds'' and "Smoking and Spitting Prohibited'' are still up, reminding riders of a certain age of another era.

Dorothy and Bennie Watson, of Washington, with granddaughter Phoenix, shared their memories about similar trolley rides throughout Downtown Pittsburgh and the suburbs decades ago.

Besides a candy-cane toting Santa, the ride featured Mrs. Claus and two elves.

The denizens of the North Pole bore more than a passing resemblance to a Clairton family whose members volunteer to spread joy during the holidays: Ross and Laura Cronkhite and their sons, Robert, 13, and Richard, 8.

The technology-savvy Santa cautioned wide-eyed riders that his elves are equipped with cell phones and digital cameras for taking photographs of who is naughty and nice.

But, he advised, that one thing remains timeless: Santa still enjoys the cookies left out for him on Christmas Eve.

For more information on the Trolley Museum, call 724-228-9256 or visit www.pa-trolley.org.