Pahrump Valley Lions Club assisting Saint Nick with Letters to Santa program

It’s Christmas time in the town of Pahrump and that can only mean one thing; youngsters from all over are now contemplating just what they’d like for Christmas and Santa and his reindeer are preparing themselves for their long trip around the world to deliver presents to all of the good boys and girls who made the nice list.

It’s a huge undertaking but it’s not one that jolly old Saint Nick must take on alone.

Every year, parents, siblings, grandparents, guardians and organizations come together to offer Santa a hand in ensuring that Christmas joy is spread far and wide and that kiddos, with wide round eyes aglow with delight, are able to find a little something just for them underneath the festooned evergreen tree on Christmas morning.

The Pahrump Valley Lions Club is one of those organizations that throws its lot in with the man in the big red suit by hosting its Letters to Santa program. Each year sees the members of the local Lions Club endeavoring to collect hundreds of missives from the children of Pahrump who have put pen to paper to detail for Kris Kringle their Christmas wishes and after all of these Letters to Santa have been gathered, the group then sets out on a mission to purchase presents for the writers and deliver them directly to their homes.

The effort is pointless, however, without the participation of area youngsters and Lions Club members are encouraging families to take a few moments to have their children write their letters and drop them off at the main post office in Pahrump.

“Twenty years ago, our member Larry Bai discovered that all the letters kids wrote to Santa in Pahrump were being sent to Las Vegas, never to be seen again,” Pahrump Valley Lions Club member and wife of Larry, Sue Bai, said of the beginnings of the Letters to Santa program. This sad fact was something that Larry felt should not go unaddressed and so the club took action to change what was happening. As a club, the members decided to take on the challenge of handling all of the local letters to Santa themselves and now, two decades later, their annual effort has become a beloved part of the town’s yearly Christmas festivities.

“With the assistance of the local postmaster, the letters were given to the club and this project began,” Sue detailed. “Lions Clubs are dedicated to providing service to our community and the Pahrump Valley Lions Club believes Christmas is all about the children. We are so excited to provide gifts and letters from Santa in the hopes that all the kids have a very merry Christmas.”

The Letters to Santa program had, for 18 years, included an annual Breakfast with Santa event in the run up to the holiday as well, but last year the Pahrump Valley Lions decided that they simply could not risk holding that event and it was canceled, much to the disappointment of its members and the entire community. This year, the group was hoping to be able to bring Breakfast with Santa back but with the COVID-19 pandemic still a prominent part of everyday life and new variants prompting continued concern, the club decided once again that they would have to forgo this gathering. “Unfortunately, we felt it necessary to cancel the breakfast again this year. There is still too much uncertainty with COVID, but we are hoping for next year!” Sue stated.

Despite the cancellation of Breakfast with Santa, the Lions Club is forging ahead with its Letters to Santa program and children can submit their letters until the deadline on Friday, Dec. 17. Those who have participated in the past will notice that this year, the drop-off point is somewhat different. While letters to Santa will still be accepted at the main post office in Pahrump, the large, decorative mailbox that the Lions have used for so many years has reached the end of its life and it is no longer usable. Instead, the Lions have adorned a mail slot inside of the post office with wrapping paper, bows and tinsel, where letters to Santa can be submitted.

“Attention all kids ages 12 and under! Once again, it’s time to write your Letters to Santa. Mail them (no postage necessary) or drop them off at the specially decorated mail slot in the outer lobby of the main post office on Postal Road by Dec. 17. It’s very important that you include your name, age, boy or girl, your home address, contact phone number and your wish list. Santa’s elves will help him gather the information to get ready for his Christmas gift deliveries,” an announcement from the Lions Club reads.

Each year, the Lions Club members are quick to emphasize the importance of including all of the requested information, without which they cannot make their deliveries.

The announcement made sure to note that all Christmas present deliveries from the club will be conducted according to distancing and mask-wearing guidelines.

Anyone interested in making a donation to help the Lions Club in its mission to bring Christmas spirit to the youngsters of the valley can do so by mailing a check to the club at P.O. BoCC 133, Pahrump, NV, 89041 or simply dropping a check off in the specially decorated Letters to Santa mail slot at the main post office. “We gratefully accept all donation,” Sue said. “Wrapping paper is always needed, though we can purchase that with donated funds as well.”

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com