Santa making trip to Odessa

Santa will be arriving Wednesday, December 7th at about 5 p.m. He’ll be flying in to the Odessa Public Library, where he has graciously agreed to sit for portraits with local children of all ages. The Record has been informed by elves in the know that he’ll only be available until 7 p.m. that evening, so be sure to get there in plenty of time.

While you wait in line, you can look over the raffle items on offer by the Friends of the Library, The second annual fundraising raffle offers several items that would make wonderful gifts.

Once inside the doors to the Community Center itself, be sure to fill out a door prize entry form. The vendors at the event each donate a prize, which are then given out throughout the day.

On the stage to the left of the main door, entertainment is scheduled for most of the day (see box, page 8.)

Plan on lunching, snacking or dining at the event as well, as hamburgers will be on offer from the 4-H Club and the Hospital Auxiliary will offer a selection of pie. Crab Creek Coffee Haus will be on hand to whip up your favorite latté. Christmas cookies, sweets and various baked goods will also be available.

As for vendors, event organizer Faye King of the Odessa Junior Livestock Club provided this list:

Handcrafts: Wooden toys, fleece blankets, towels and stocking stuffers, doll clothes, children’s clothes, tutus, petticoats, hair ribbons, ornaments and Christmas decorations, handmade jewelry.

Gifts: Cookbooks, trivets, jewelry, a new book by a local author, metal art, fishing lures, decorations, Christian books & gifts, stuffed animals, knives and gloves. Representatives from At Home America, Tastefully Simple, Sentsy, Pampered Chef and Avon will also be represented.

There will also be opportunities to support good causes.

The Girl Scouts will have a clothing drive to benefit Kira’s Kloset, a non-profit clothes and book bank established in memory of Kira Wraspir.

The Cub Scouts will raffle off a decorated Christmas tree.

The PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) is sponsoring the photos with Santa, in the library from 5 to 7 p.m.

The Odessa Quilt Club will have raffle tickets for their 2012 quilt, “Birds of Xanadu” which was designed by three local artists and made by quilt club members.

Poinsettias will once again be available from the Odessa FFA chapter, in a variety of sizes and colors.

Don’t forget the Tree of Sharing, which gives shoppers the opportunity to provide Christmas gifts for local families in need. Be sure to stop by and pick up a gift tag or two.