The South Gibson Star-Times serves the towns of Haubstadt, Owensville and Fort Branch.
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1489040
Front Tuesday, December 27, 2022 South Gibson Star-Times A-3 Independent Insurance Agent 812-483-4670 • Haubstadt • bill.yarbor@twc.com CALL: Bill Yarbor Are You Adequately Covered? A new year means changes to Medicare premiums, deductibles, copays and benefi ts! Bill Yarbor, experienced insurance agent can help you make sure you are adequately covered. Medicare Supplement Insurance, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part-D prescription drug plans. Tax Preparation for Individuals & Businesses Walter Arnett CPA, PC 102 N. First Ave., Princeton 812-385-4431 walterarnettcpa.com TRADITION Continued from page 1 Santa rolled in on the Fort Branch fire truck, siren blaring, as he has for more years than the fire chief has been born. The story goes that during the Great Depression of the 1920s, ar- ea businessmen wanted to make sure every child got something for Christmas, so they hosted Santa, fill- ing bags with oranges, peanuts and candies. Sokeland himself remembers at one time it was hosted by Masons at the grocery store before that burned, then it moved to the park before set- tling at the fire department, where it's been for roughly a decade. "When I was little I remember San- ta always came on the fire truck. That might have been because at that time, a lot of businessmen were on the fire department," Sokeland said. Santa still gives a bag of goodies to each child. Community Pride has stepped in to host and organize the annual event. Glendale Santa makes Christmas happen for kids in need By Janice Barniak Star-Times Editor editor@sgstartimes.com Mother Pamela Coomer didn't know how she'd provide Christmas for children Elliott, 4, and Ella, 1. She'd recently lost her job at Princeton schools and is working at McDonald's while she looks for an- other way to provide for her family, one of the many stories Princeton's Glendale Santa hears each year as he raises money for needy children. This year Glendale Santa raised $3,100 for people in need, taking 28 children shopping, providing a motel for a woman who wanted to see her son receiving medical care, giving food and donating to a fam- ily with a child at Riley Children's Hospital. He said donations are down com- pared to the last few years, with on- ly a few cars a night stopping at the Santa house. Next year he won't be sitting outdoors each weekend, he plans to do scheduled events only to raise funds. He went from more than $10,000 in donations to $3,100 — $1,000 of which was from the Princeton American Legion. Two additional families were helped by toys donated by the Kerns family, bringing the total helped to 30 children. For families like the Coomers, donations being down didn't matter as much as what Santa was able to bring them. "It was a miracle honestly, he was a lifesaver for me and my family. It was a miracle," she said. "I was get- ting really unhopeful. It's the hard- est time of the year honestly." She said it's difficult to buy for her autistic son, but with Santa's help they were able to get not just small toys but clothes the children needed. "He came to the rescue when we needed him," she said. The Glendale Santa hears these stories every year, from the single mom leaving her home at 5:30 a.m. so she can walk to her job at Wendy's in the cold, because she doesn't have transportation, to moms like Kier- ra Finney, who has three kids, and is trying to work her job around her children's school schedule. By the time she drops them off and gets to work, then leaves in time to pick them up, she's working five hours a day at $10.50 an hour. It's not just Christmas, she said, it's just food and clothing that are hard to provide, let alone birthdays. Without the Santa initiative, each child might get one toy, but it would be at the expense of having clothes and shoes. "I just wish people knew there were resources to help them. People do actually care and want to help," she said of her experience. "People are afraid they'll be looked down up- on. This world is hard to live in." Princeton's Glendale Santa took 28 children and their parents shopping for Christmas last week as part of his annual initiative to buy presents for needy families. This was the last year he'll sit in his Santa house; next year he'll do private parties for donations. Glendale Santa drops food off to a Princeton family Saturday for Christmas. Elliott and Ella Coomer went shopping with Glendale Santa for Christmas presents last week, two of the 28 children he assisted this year. Mike Sokeland passes out gifts to children in line to see Santa on Saturday at Fort Branch Fire Dept. The Christmas Eve tra- dition is nearing the 100 year mark. Grace Ridens tells Santa the gifts she wants for Christmas, and he wishes her well. "Wait, can I ask for one more thing? Can you make sure kids who don't have much get presents too?" Santa assured her they would. Adalynn Brewer shows off her reindeer shirt to Santa at Fort Branch Fire Dept. Saturday, on Christmas Eve. Sisters Brynleigh and Kaisleigh Conner take turns on Santa's lap Christmas Eve during Fort Branch Fire Department's annual Santa event.