By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
With a long line stretching outside the City Auditorium waiting for the event to start, hundreds of children enjoyed the 27th annual Santa’s Workshop hosted by the Great Bend Recreation Commission last week.
More than 850 necklaces were handed out, 500 items from the fish pond were given to children and 650 cookies were distributed. Designed for children from preschool to sixth grade, the holiday-themed booths were highlighted by a chance to visit Santa Claus.
Great Bend Rec Program Director Megan Hammeke said entertainment from Happy Faces Entertainment was a big hit.
"They brought Olaf the snowman," said Hammeke. "People loved him. I enjoyed watching Olaf interact. Kids that were scared, Olaf was dancing around them. There was an elf with Olaf that was doing magic tricks. That worked really well for the Santa line that gets really long. He made sure to be in that Santa line and interact with everyone."
During the two-hour event, 291 letters to Santa were dropped off in Santa’s mailbox. Many organizations assisted with the program, and 64 local high school students volunteered with booths or cleanup the night of the event.