Santa stops at Skyway amid food drive
Devin Weeks Staff Writer | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 1 month AGO
COEUR d’ALENE — Santa and his elf sat atop a Christmas light-covered fire engine and greeted good little boys and girls while snow fell on their little hats and umbrellas in a picturesque winter scene outside Skyway Elementary School Thursday.
“I liked that Santa was on the fire truck," said joyful first-grader Cooper Hagenah. “I liked everything!"
Santa made an early appearance Thursday when he visited Lake City High School, where local elementary school students were invited to stop by to share their Christmas lists and snap photos with Kris Kringle.
"It was good,” said Ramsey kindergartner Cheyenne Farris, who gave a thumbs-up.
“We love this," said Cheyenne's mom, Sam Farris. "This is our first year here. All the small town things they do, especially for all the kids, is amazing. I really, really love that. We love it here."
LCHS junior Abby Gray delighted in handing out candy canes and making sure no child left empty-handed.
“I just love kids,” she said with a smile. "This is actually so cool. I didn’t get to do this as an elementary student, so it’s nice for them to see Santa during school, get a break and enjoy all the fun stuff."
This special visit the week before Christmas was the work of LCHS health and first aid teacher Laura Tolzmann, who rocked her "Santa's Favorite" Rudolph sweater as she scurried about in the snow.
"Last year, Santa came to visit at lunch time, and I thought, 'OK, we need to out-do last year,’” she said.
Tolzmann contacted the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department to see if Santa and the fire truck could stop by, and certified Fire Inspector Bobby Gonder said, "Heck yeah, without question, we'll be there."
“We just love this,” Gonder said as the schoolchildren wandered up to the fire engine to say hi to the Big Man in Red.
The event was part of LCHS' 10-day countdown to Christmas, when the entire school gets into the holiday spirit.
“Our teachers have been wearing Christmas sweaters, tree skirts, ties with Christmas bows," Tolzmann said.
"If you come inside the building, you’ll see competitions for decorations, you’ll see trees," said Principal Deanne Clifford.
Santa's visit also took place in the midst of the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department's Mobile Santa Food Drive, when Santa and the firefighters roll through town collecting food for those in need during the holiday season. LCHS students were encouraged to bring cans of food to donate to the cause.
"We do our Mobile Santa for food donations," Gonder said. "There are a lot of people out there year ’round that don’t have enough food to eat, especially during the holidays, so we want to be sure we do our part and try to collect as much as possible."
“I think this was a great way to extend an arm of appreciation to our elementary kids and their principals and their teachers and say, ‘Merry Christmas,’” Clifford said. "And what a great way to ring in the holiday. We have a lot of friends in our elementary schools, and we look forward to having these kids in our halls."
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