The smells, sights, experiences and feelings of Christmases past haven’t left her all these years later. And, as so much changed in Young’s life in 2023, the traditions begun decades ago with her parents and grandparents are something she wants to pass on to her son, Cameron.

“I am trying to have my son experience Christmas as I did as a kid. I don’t necessarily remember what I got, but I remember how it was,” says Latasia Young. “My mom made everything special and always had the house decorated. We had cookies and did gingerbread houses with my cousins at my grandmother’s house. To this day I love to be with family. My dad made an igloo with us one year.”

She tells about how her grandmother, Barb Wiltsie, always bought matching outfits for her grandchildren. The same grandmother still gives a small bag of caramel popcorn to each grandchild.

Every other Christmas is spent with her dad’s side of the family. Each of his siblings take a turn hosting. One year, when it was Ms. Young’s parents’ turn to host, the visiting relatives had to stay an extra night due to a storm.

Nine-year old Cameron Young is pictured decorating a gingerbread house, a tradition his mother carried over from her childhood. Submitted photo

In an effort to pass down her childhood traditions to Cameron, she took advantage of one of his recent snow days from school. The day of inclement weather conveniently fell on a day she did not have to report to work. The mom and the 9-year old spent the day baking cookies and building and decorating a gingerbread house.

She shows the same Christmas movies to the fourth-grader that she watched with her family when she was a child.

“He likes his hot cocoa while watching,” she says with a smile.

The mother-son duo has been making some traditions of their own, such as opening their home to Elf on a Shelf and attending Jamestown’s Christmas parade.

Her life took an unexpected turn last year.

“After 18 years of being in retail, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it the rest of my life,” says the Jamestown woman, who has a two-year degree in Criminal Justice and a BS in Business Management.

She got involved with the Counseling and Career Center at Jamestown Community College, which led her to intern with the Tarp Skunks, Jamestown’s local baseball team. She was the oldest female in a group of 20 and 21 year old college kids.

“At the time, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I was starting to lean toward sports management.”

She applied for a job after finding it on a sports management website. The application was sent on Friday night and by Saturday morning she had an email requesting an interview. The interview took place three days later. Two days after her interview, she was offered a chance to attend a pre-season game to see how the operation worked. She accepted the offer, because she had the rare occasion of having a Saturday off of her job as general manager of Chautauqua Mall’s Old Navy Store.

“I was offered the job that day, but I wanted to think about it for a couple of days,” she said.

Some of her family members were a bit skeptical, mainly because she would have to drive 70 miles one-way, but her father, an avid sports fan, encouraged the others to support her. The decision was made and she accepted the position of assistant branch manager with Allied Universal Event Services, who does security for Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills. Her responsibilities include hiring, when needed, scheduling and state security licensing for the staff. Because her father was excited and supported her decision, he signed on to help with security at some of the games.

She also assists with payroll for her branch, helps run game day operations and is the first person there and usually the last to leave.

“On any given day, we have 350 people working with us. The opportunity came. It was not what I was expecting, but what I think and what God thinks is clearly two different things. It is something I enjoy,” she says. “I want Cameron to know if you have a job for 18 years, you don’t have to keep it.”

On the days of afternoon games, she gets up at 3 a.m. and leaves the house by 3:30 in order to arrive in Orchard Park by 5 a.m. She then begins her work day of setting up, getting the staff clocked in and into their uniforms and in position so they are ready to make Highmark Stadium safe and secure for the fans. She leaves the stadium between 7 and 8 p.m. It is not unusual for her to be starting for home at 2 a.m. if the team has played a night game.

“It is fast-paced, so it goes quickly,” she said.

Game days are not the only days she works in the Buffalo area. Her job requires her to be there five to seven days each week, year-round, not just during football season. She also helps with sponsorship and marketing for the Jamestown Tarp Skunks.

“I grew up with sports. When we drove to church, my dad would have sports talk shows on the radio. I thought it was boring then,” she said.

She is the oldest child of Pastor Ron and Sheila Lemon of Frewsburg and has two siblings, Ryan Lemon and Katie Wissman.

“All three of us are as close as can be. We’re very similar and very different,” Young said.

She is the granddaughter of Barb Wiltsie, also of Frewsburg, and the late Raymond Wiltsie and of John and Beverly Lemon of Olean. Milo, a three-year old Pit Bull mix, completes the family. She is a member of Koinonia Christian Fellowship. She likes to take random trips when she has a few days off work and would love to live at the beach. Jewelry making was once a hobby, but she can no longer find time for it.

She has fond Christmas memories when she thinks of the recipes she shares today.

“We all love my grandmother’s Candy Apple Jell-O. My brother requests it,” she states. “Jelly Cookies are made every Christmas, whether by my mom, my sister or my grandmother. I even remember my great-grandmother making them.”

Candy Apple Jello

One 6oz box cherry flavored gelatin

2 c boiling water

½ c cinnamon candies

1 ½ c cold water

3 c peeled chopped apples

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add cinnamon candies and stir until all are dissolved. Add cold water. Chill slightly and then add chopped apples. Refrigerate. Stir occasionally to keep apples blended.

Jelly Cookies

3/4 c soft butter

1 egg

2 tsp almond extract

2 c flour

2/3 c sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

Red jelly of choice

Combine butter, egg and flavoring. Add dry ingredients and combine forming a soft dough. Place on a floured board and divide into 6 equal parts. Shape each part into a long roll. Place on cookie sheets. Make a depression down the center with the handle of knife and fill with red jelly. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. While warm, drizzle with confectioners’ sugar glaze. Cool. Cut diagonally into bars.