Santa Brings Holiday Cheer to Local Children and Baylor Campus

by Paige Patton
More than 500 area children will be treated to Christmas carols, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus and, most importantly, presents at the 13th annual Santa's Workshop Friday, Dec. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon at the McLane Student Life Center on the Baylor University campus.
Coordinated by a partnership between Baylor University Community Service department and the Staff Council, each child will be given lunch, a chance to meet Santa Claus and will receive a gift from the university toy drive. Nearly 500 other children who cannot attend the event also will receive toys.
Other groups helping with Santa's Workshop are Baylor athletes, Baylor Spirit Squads, ARAMARK, Freshman Class Council-Service and Delta Sigma Theta sorority. They will help distribute food, goodie bags and gifts and entertain the children, according to Karin Klinger, assistant director of student activities.
Student organizations and other members of the Baylor community have been collecting $10 gifts in donation boxes across campus to distribute to the children at the event. Students, faculty and staff were also able to provide monetary donations to ensure a gift could be given to every child.
"I think that with all the hectic busyness of the holidays, it's easy for us as adults to forget the magic of the season. There are few ways that better remind each of us of the joy and innocence of the season than to participated in a program like Santa's Workshop," said Klinger.
Though the official deadline has passed, monetary donations will still be accepted in the Student Activities office. For more information, contact Klinger at 710-6936 or Elisa Dunman at 710-7241.