By Kim Hutchison
Staff Reporter:
On Dec. 6 Plaza Bingo was bustling as children of all ages gathered in search of presents for their loved ones and maybe a little something for themselves at the Annual Children’s Christmas Party.
11 local venders set up shop and brought their products to the hall so the children could find what they wanted and needed in a safe and controlled environment. Participating venders included Flowers For You, Ponoka First Tee Golf Shop, Your Dollar Store is More, Walrus and the Carpenter, Wise Coffee, Bruce’s True Value, Liquidation World, Mr. Bill’s Computers, the Great Canadian Dollar Store and Sommer Brothers.
One half of the hall was the designated shopping area and the perimeter of that portion of the room had 4-H and Royal Purple elves happily wrapping any and all purchases made that afternoon. Wrapping paper, bows and ribbons were donated by Shopper’s Drug Mart, Liquidation World and Rexall.
The other half of the hall had tables and chairs set up with sweets, beverages and canteen services where parents could relax while children shopped or where children could take a break from a busy afternoon.
On top of the excitement surrounding shopping, Mr. and Mrs. Claus made a special appearance. Children had the opportunity to have their pictures taken with Santa thanks to Perfexion Imaging and the chance to hop on horse-drawn wagons that toured the streets of Ponoka from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m made possible by Prediger Carriages.
“This was one of the best turnouts we’ve ever had – it was fantastic,” said event organizer Brenda Raab. “It was so busy all afternoon and wouldn’t have been possible without the help of everyone involved. The kids loved it and so did the parents and that’s what matters most.”