Staff at the San Jacinto Community Center were happy to welcome over 400 children and parents to their annual meet and greet with Santa Claus. From left, Donnie Victor, Brittany White, Tonya Kostka, and Emmalee Lopez.Staff at the San Jacinto Community Center were happy to welcome over 400 children and parents to their annual meet and greet with Santa Claus. From left, Donnie Victor, Brittany White, Tonya Kostka, and Emmalee Lopez.Staff at the San Jacinto Community Center were happy to welcome over 400 children and parents to their annual meet and greet with Santa Claus. From left, Donnie Victor, Brittany White, Tonya Kostka, and Emmalee Lopez. Staff at the San Jacinto Community Center were happy to welcome over 400 children and parents to their annual meet and greet with Santa Claus. From left, Donnie Victor, Brittany White, Tonya Kostka, and Emmalee Lopez. Photo by David Taylor
By David Taylor /Managing Editor
Despite a busy pre-Christmas schedule that includes listening to as many children as possible for their Christmas wishes, Santa Claus stopped by for a few hours to visit the children of Highlands.
The fourth annual Cookies and Photos with Santa at the San Jacinto Community Center since it was moved.
“We used to host the event every year in the park by the railroad tracks. We felt it was a little dangerous and always at the mercy of the weather,” said Tonya Kostka, who took over the event after the chamber went through a transformation.
“We moved it inside and brought all the partners with us and haven’t looked back,” she said. Parking is more available at the community center and residents are protected, for the most part.
At times, the line can be out the door with the hundreds of children and parents who come through to see the jolly guy.
Last Tuesday’s event was no less successful than previous years and all the partners were there to help.
The Highlands Rotary Club served gallons of hot chocolate, the Highlands Horizons handed out cookies and candy canes, the Highlands-Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce provided the pizza slices, and Seniors Helping Seniors helped pay for Santa’s flight expenses from the North Pole.
The Highlands Fire Department was also on hand to give out swag and show off their apparatus. Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s team provided all the staple items, forks, spoons, cups, plates, and more.
The photos of children with Santa were provided free of charge by Pete and Georgiana Big Horse.
“It’s a labor of love for us and we’re so happy to be able to give back to the community,” Pete said.
More than 400 people filed through the center in the two hour Christmas marathon.
Members of the Highlands Rotary Club prepared and served the hot chocolate to the hundreds of children and parents who came through to see Santa. Members are, from left, Patricia Scott, Wayne Prescott, Weston Cotten, Andy Scott, Denise Smith, Anne Woodall, and Robert Woodall. Photo by David Taylor
Wayne Prescott and Weston Cotten stirs the chocolate while Robert Woodall looks over their shoulder. They served gallons of chocolate to children and their parents at the Highlands Santa Claus event. Photo by David Taylor
The Horizons of Highlands were handing out bags of Teddy Grahams, Chips Ahoy, and Oreo Cookies to the children. From left, Tammy Earls, Pam White, and Kathryn Dunlop helped serve the children. Photo by David Taylor
Santa listened intently to the Christmas wishes of Ava, Oakley, and Hadley from Highlands. Each year, the family comes for their Christmas photo. Photo by David Taylor
Escorting Santa and showing children their fire trucks were the Highlands Volunteer Fire Department and paramedics. From left, Matt Hathorn, Robert Morris, Taylor Green, Micael Weber, Steve Pearce, and Mark Mullins. Photo by David Taylor
Working the table passing out cool firemen swag was firefighters Jennifer Pearce and Theresa Young. Photo by David Taylor
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