‘Santa Express’ greets Peters Township families
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Santa and Mrs. Claus greet visitors in front of Peters Township Public Library.
Peters Township High School student Brooklyn Grau is ready to give bags of cookies to families during the Santa Express event.
Harry Funk/ The Almanac
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Tim Frazier, left, and Cody Gump from the Peters Township Fire Department have fire prevention materials ready to give to visitors.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Members of the Winkler family greet Santa Claus.
Volunteers Kaleb Sauter, left, and Eli Criswell hand out gift bags to visitors.
Volunteer Mason Quarture puts letters to Santa into the appropriate mailbox.
Mrs. Claus greets visitors.
Santa Claus greets visitors.
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Peters Township Parks and Recreation Department staff members have come up with creative ways to continue to provide programming in a responsible manner.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Shannon Pauley, left, head of youth services at Peters Township Public Library, and Lacey Love, library director, get ready to hand out gift bags.
The most recent example is the “Santa Express” event held Sunday in lieu of the township’s annual tree lighting, which regularly draws sizeable crowds to launch the holiday season.
This year, families remained in the safe environment of their vehicles as they drove past Peters Township Public Library, receiving an assortment of goodies and gifts from various volunteers who wore masks for protection.
That included the guests of honor, Santa and Mrs. Claus, who greeted youngsters at curbside.
With children being unable to sit on Mr. Claus’ lap and tell him what they want for Christmas, the event featured a “Letters to Santa” mailbox, with the assurance: “He’ll write back.”
As visitors exited the library parking lot, they were treated to a sight that’s been a staple in Peters Township, the “Seasons Greetings” lights that offer a glimmer of joy as a year everyone would like to forget draws to a close.
Harry Funk/The Almanac
Harry Funk/The Almanac
The holiday lights are in place, as is usual this time of year, at Peters Township Public Library.