Small Town Christmas was a huge success last Saturday, November 30, with big crowds turning out for activities downtown and supporting local merchants on Small Business Saturday.
Event organizer Denise Bertrand said she has received many compliments and “only three complaints,” and she considers that a success.
“We were planning to meet in January to decide if we want to do it again next year,” Bertrand said, “but now we’re meeting in January just to talk about what to improve.”
More food vendors will be one thing to add, she said, but other than that, most activities seemed to be successful.
At the courthouse, Lions served 300 cups of hot chocolate, and Santa handed out about 150 stocking gifts to kids, with the line to see the Jolly Old Elf stretching out to the street.
Over on Kearney Street, Santa’s Play House proved to be a big hit with the youngsters, and several people commented on how nice it was to have holiday music playing up and down the main street.
Vendor booths were set up in the parking area between the Crossties Ministry Center and the Masonic Lodge Hall, with some booths also set up in the lodge dining room.
A scavenger hunt earlier in the evening drew six teams with first place going to the Burrow Clan, second place going to the Reindeer Rebels, Team Rudolph taking third place, and Little Ones clenching fourth place. A total of $540 in Chamber Cash was given out in that contest, sponsored by Jacob Fangman, Floyd’s Automotive, Every Nook & Cranny, Vape Time, and Broken Road Liquor Store.
Clarendon Family Medicine and Clarendon Dental Associates sponsored the Ugly Christmas Sweater and Gingerbread House competitions with $450 in Chamber Cash. Ugly Sweater winners were Annette Osburn, first; Lisa Heald, second; and Linda Pankey, third. Gingerbread House winners were Danyale Naylor, first; Tobias Truex, second; and Emery Truex, third.
Also last weekend, a benefit movie at the Mulkey Theatre collected $790 in donations for the Donley County Community Fund during a special presentation of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Bertrand’s committee was also successful in drawing in new community volunteers and overall improved the appearance of downtown with workdays dedicated to cleaning windows, especially on vacant storefronts.
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