Nearly 210 residents of 100 Mile House and area decided they needed to see the happiest man during Christmas time at The Valley Room in town on Dec. 1.
“We had really good feedback. We have repeat people who come back every year and then as the kids get older, they even bring friends,” said Val Streber, who organizes the Annual 100 Mile House Breakfast with Santa.
The free breakfast, consisting of pancakes and sausages, was supplied by 18 volunteers who cooked, served and/or helped the kids meet Santa Claus.
RELATED: 100 Mile House Breakfast with Santa event sees over 200 breakfasts served
“We even ran out of sausages this year, and I think we only had three pancakes left,” she said of the event, though they ran out near the end. “Every year it seems to get bigger and better and that’s a wonderful thing.”
She said the 210 people who attended was a 50-60 increase from last year’s event.
The food was donated from Save-on-Foods and the pancake mix from GBR Craft Burgers. Volunteers came from Western Financial, Emergency Support Service, the 100 Mile House Lions Club, private citizens and the 100 Mile Free Press.
Also included at the event was an auction for two Fingerling Hugs, a colourful stuffed monkey that gives hugs.
The $0.25 tickets for the auction go into buying the items as well as the baggies that were given out to the children who attended.
Streber also said Santa was “really, really good” this year.
This will be the last year Streber will organize the event as she is retiring at the end of the year. So she is looking for someone to take it over. She has already rented the Valley Room for the event next year and has offered her help as a volunteer for whoever decides to assume the organizing duties.
“I’m pretty sure someone will pick it up,” she said.
A pair of new girl’s Sorel boots and a Durango jacket with keys in the pockets also went missing during the event.
“I think maybe someone accidentally took them and I’m hoping they bring them to me at the Vistors Centre if they did accidentally take them,” said Streber.
If that is the case, the Vistor Centre is located on Highway 97 and Wrangler Way.
100 Mile Free Press publisher Martina Dopf will organize the breakfast next year.
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