NEW PARIS — Santa came to National Trail Local Schools last weekend to spread a little cheer and raise money for the district.
Santa visited for National Trail PTO’s annual holiday breakfast on Saturday, Dec. 16, where vendors sold last-minute gifts and children were able to sit on Santa’s lap for a picture.
According to NT PTO Secretary Kristi Deaton, this event also serves as a way to highlight the kindergarten program. They invite entertainment as well, such as the high school steel drum band and The Wonderettes, which is a preschool-aged dance group. Vendors are also invited out, where they can sell last-minute Christmas presents.
While all of this entertainment is ongoing, visitors can purchase breakfast from the PTO to raise money for the school.
“This is a way for the community to come in, have some entertainment, eat breakfast, and have their picture taken with Santa and get a gift from Santa,” Deaton said. “The main purpose that started this was that it became the kindergarten school program. We then decided to combine it with breakfast and make money off of that for the PTO so we could give back to the kids.
“It became a community event where we began to invite other people and vendors and Santa. Instead of just having the program for the kindergarten at school, we decided to involve the community in it. We normally have a really good turn out. It has been down the last couple of years, but our class size has been down so obviously numbers are going to be down if we don’t have as many people coming to see their kids.”
The fee from the vendors is what keeps the event running every year, as well as funds from the breakfast.
Deaton added, she believes the event is important, because it brings parents and community members into the school for the day.
“I think it is really good to bring everybody together and to be able to support youth who are growing up in our community, as well as to support vendors, because all of them are local people,” she said.
“It is just good all around for people to be able to come into the school and get to know the kids and see what they do. With the steel drum band and kindergarten we will have people of all ages here. We will have businesses here as well, and the kids can see what it is like for them and ask questions if they are interested. I think it is just good to have everybody from the community together.”
