Santa’s Village will
celebrate its 22nd year of operation and continues to set
records in donations of food, toys and attendance. The
holiday fantasyland provides the sights, sounds and fun of
Christmas and is staged each year at the Ned McWherter
Agricultural Complex at the University of Tennessee at
Martin.
This year’s theme is
“Santa’s Winter Wonderland” and is scheduled 6-9 p.m. on
Dec. 7-8; 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Dec. 9; and 1-5 p.m. on
Dec. 10.
The event features
new scenes, including Santa’s Ice Castle and a winter
wonderland carousel. Also featured is a train engine erected
with 2007 canned foods, a giant Christmas tree, horse-drawn
wagon rides, miniature shops, a skating pond and gazebo, an
8-foot snow globe, Frosty the Talking Snowman, MTD train
display, cartoon characters and 54 arts and crafts booths.
Twenty hours of continuous entertainment, highlighting
regional talent, and a holiday blimp, flying over Santa’s
Village, will add to the festivities.
Opening ceremony is
5:45 p.m., Dec. 7. Event co-sponsors are Martin Parks and
Recreation, the C. E. Weldon Public Library and UT Martin.
Admission is a suggested donation of $5 worth of
nonperishable foods and/or toys.
“Santa’s Village has
reached another level,” said Dennis Suiter, Martin Parks and
Recreation Department director, at the annual Santa’s
Village kickoff luncheon for representatives of sponsors,
service agencies and volunteers. Suiter said the last six
years are an example of how the event continues to grow. “In
the last six years, we have averaged 12,070 visitors a year.
Donations have averaged $55,780.” He added that the top five
years in attendance and donations have occurred since 2000.
In 21 years, Santa’s
Village has collected $662,144 worth of food and toys, and
174,969 visits have been made to the community event. Last
year, the value of the donations reached $59,955, a record
for the event, and 11,183 people attended, the fifth highest
attendance rate.
Suiter highlighted
the efforts of sponsors and volunteers, who contribute time
and money to the annual event, and the service agencies that
use the bounty of food and toys from Santa’s Village to
benefit families in the region at holiday time and, in some
cases, throughout the year. “It’s such a team effort. We’re
so appreciative of all the folks who make this program
possible,” said Suiter.
Service agencies
receiving food and toys collected at Santa’s Village
include: Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council,
Obion County American Red Cross, We Care Ministries, Santa’s
Helpers and Chimes for Charity.
(Read the rest of the story in the
November 15th print edition of the
Dresden Enterprise!)
