It’s the Christmas season and in Pahrump, that means it’s time for children to sit down and write out their wish lists for the Pahrump Valley Lions Club’s annual Letters to Santa program.
This marks the 19th year that the local Lions Club is hosting the Letters to Santa program and the group has one simple goal in mind, that of making the holiday an especially merry and bright one for the valley’s youngsters.
“Yes, we are going to continue our tradition,” Lions Club member Sue Bai stated when contacted about the fate of the annual event in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We feel we can do so safely.”
While the Lions Club will still be doing the ever-popular Letters to Santa initiative, the event that generally accompanies this program, the club’s yearly Breakfast with Santa, will not be held this year. As with so many other events and happenings in 2020, the Breakfast with Santa event has been canceled due to the pandemic.
“Unfortunately our Santa breakfast has become a COVID-19 casualty. Hopefully we can do that again next year,” Bai said.
Though the Breakfast with Santa cannot go forward this year, the Lions Club is still very excited to be able to continue with its Letters to Santa program and provide holiday gifts to youth, regardless of financial need.
All children ages 12 and under are invited to submit their letters to Santa by mailing those missives to the main post office in Pahrump, or dropping the letters off in person at the big, decorated mailbox at the main post office grounds, located at 2300 E. Postal Drive. This year, there will also be a drop-off box at the post office in Beatty, located at 600 E. Highway 95. There is no postage necessary for letters to Santa.
One of the most common hurdles the Lions Club faces each year when conducting its Letters to Santa program is receiving letters that do not come with enough information to allow the group to do what it aims to do, fulfill the wishes contained therein. As such, every year the Lions are sure to emphasize the importance of including key information so they can ensure all the children who write to Santa will get a special delivery.
“It’s is very important that you include your name, age, boy or girl, your home address, contact phone number and your wish list,” the news release stresses. “Santa’s elves will help him gather the information to get ready for his Christmas gift deliveries.”
Residents are assured that all of the Christmas present deliveries undertaken by the Lions Club will be done so following social distancing and mask-wearing guidelines.
All letters to Santa must be submitted no later than Thursday, Dec. 17.
For more information on the Letters to Santa program call 775-727-9016.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com