The Enid News and Eagle, Enid, OK

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December 5, 2009

Breakfast with Santa draws about 1,500 to annual fundraiser

By Cass Rains, Staff Writer

Santa’s North Pole workshop likely wasn’t as busy Saturday as the Enid High School food court was during the 11th annual Breakfast with Santa fundraiser, benefiting the March of Dimes.

There was something for everyone at this year’s event that featured more than 90 silent auction gift baskets, more than 50 craft, game booths and inflatables.

North Central Division Director for March of Dimes Stephanie Soucek said about 150 volunteers were on hand Saturday and estimated about 1,500 people were served pancakes and sausage.

Santa and Mrs. Claus also were there taking photos with children who weren’t too busy with other activities.

Children could go from table to table making ornaments, getting their hair spray-painted, making gingerbread houses and completing holiday-related art projects and also playing games. There was a Spider Web Velcro wall inflatable and a bouncy inflatable inside the EHS food court.

“We love our new location,” Soucek said. “There’s more room and the Enid High School staff has been so gracious with helping getting all of this set up for this great day.”

“We couldn’t have done this without them,” said March of Dimes Oklahoma Director of Operations Patri-cia Wilson.

Both women said they wanted to extend a special thanks to the Enid Public Schools board and EPS spokeswoman Amber Gra-ham Fitzgerald.

Soucek said she was “very, very, very pleased” with Saturday’s turnout and the goal of the event was to raise $16,000, which benefits March of Dimes’s four programs: education, research, advocacy and community service.

The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by fighting birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Wilson said she was un-aware if other March of Dimes divisions in the state held a Breakfast with Santa event and said the event was a fun way to raise money for children that involves children.

“It’s a good way to get the community involved,” she said. “And who doesn’t like Santa?”

The money raised Satur-day benefits the March of Dimes and Wilson said 88 percent of revenue raised in Oklahoma stays within the state.

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