2019 Christmas Carnival -- HAHA's gift to the Hermosa Community The Christmas Carnival couldn't happen without the generosity of all these people and businesses. Scroll down to read about our Santa's Helpers and Volunteers who made this year so successful. Thank you!
(A slide show of the entire Christmas Carnival may be found on the 2019 Events page)
Santa’s Helpers Donations of money or toys from these sponsors cover the games and the Santa Store toys at the Christmas Carnival. In 2019 we were able to purchase a few new games: pin the nose on the snowman, the golf putting green, and the basketball hoop shoot. They were very popular! We also purchased the toys that children were able to buy in the Santa Store, using the tokens they won at the games.
The Santa's Helpers Tree, with ornaments honoring our donors, stands proudly at the head of the serving line next to the kitchen.
American Legion Auxiliary Badlands Sand & Gravel Inc. Battle River Chapter #142 -- Order of Eastern Star Bishop Beef LLC Black Hills Health and Education Center Box Canyon Honey County Vet (Sherry and Lloyd Emond) Heartland Storage, LLC KRS Construction Lintz Bros Pizza Loerzel Construction LLC (Lisa and Scott Loerzel) Miller Construction, LLC Neugebauer Brothers Paw Patch Acres Pop’s Grocery Rushmore Appraisals Smith Repair Thrivent (c/o Pastor Deb Grismer, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church) Whitetail Ridge Bed & Breakfast Wooden Shoe Ranch
Three new games were purchased with Santa's Helpers funds: basketball hoop shoot, golf putting green, and stick-the-nose-on-the-snowman. The funds covered Santa Store toys as well as fancier door prizes.
Christmas Carnival Volunteers Besides the usual crew of hard-working active HAHA members (see far below), we had some additional volunteers who helped run the games and the welcome table. A big THANK YOU to these folks, and we welcome you to become active HAHA members throughout the year.
Jude Gramith Kimm Keffler Desa Lintz Debra McDonald Brenda Moore Millie Wiley Chase Youngberg
Santa and Mrs. Claus You'll be surprised to find out these aren't the real Santa and Mrs Claus. Don't tell the little ones, but we send out a BIG thank you to Frank and Lila Batchelder for portraying the jolly old elf and his wife so well. They are great with kids, even those a little reluctant at first to climb up on a knee for a chat and a photo. And they're always good sports about taking family group photos. Find many more photos of this Super-Santa Duo on the 2019 Events page.
The Hermosa Singers We were honored to have a lovely singing group entertain us for part of the Christmas Carnival. The Hermosa Singers is not affiliated with any one church or organization in Hermosa-- they are just a group of folks who enjoy singing. Wonderful!
(I will post members' names here-- including the keyboard player who is hidden behind the front row of singers in this photo-- as soon as I track them down.)
HAHA Members at the 2019 Christmas Carnival We also need to thank our active HAHA Members who have been working on the Christmas Carnival since the spring-- planning, organizing committees, buying games and supplies and toys and candy, refurbishing some of the older games.
As we approached Carnival time, our tasks increased-- renting the school, contacting Craft Fair vendors, finding additional volunteers, baking cookies and making soups, decorating the gym, setting up the games and Santa Store.
The day of the Carnival is the best part-- when the kids and adults gather and enjoy the food, fun and games. Hooray!
HAHA members and volunteers pictured are, from left, standing: Leta Campbell Don Christensen (way in the back—green hat) Jude Gramith Beverly Brophy Groth Connie Prautzsch Donna Evjen Linda M. Hasselstrom Shelley Martin Candice Leigh Maureen Christensen (peeking from behind) Kathy Svoboda Jerry Ellerman Jerry Upton (wearing elf hat) Roberta “Bert” Upton
Front row: Frank Batchelder (Santa Claus) Lila Batchelder (Mrs. Santa Claus) Tamara Rogers
Not pictured: Lilah Pengra (worked at the greeting table and also sold HAHA calendars)-- she left before the photo. Oops.) John Preston (was not able to attend but was the one who arranged for the Hermosa Singers)