AMSTERDAM — The Amsterdam Knights of Columbus Council No. 209 will conduct its annual Cookies with Santa event on Saturday at 193 W. Main St. from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to Dec. 12 at the same time and place. The event is free and open to all.
Strict COVID-19 protocols will be in place, a news release said. All photographs will be taken outdoors, and instead of sitting on Santa’s lap, children and families will stand in front of Santa and his sleigh, socially distanced. Groups will be asked to provide information for contact tracing upon arrival, and masks are required until the photo is about to be taken. Cookies will be individually pre-packaged and instead of cold milk, hot cocoa will be served. Photos and refreshments will be free, but to ensure a contactless event all photos will be delivered online.
“With our strong COVID protocols, we know people can attend our event safely and see Santa without braving the mall,” Grand Knight Jeff Stark said in a news release. But he added a word of advice for those attending: “Dress warm.”
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The event is now in its seventh year and has been growing every year, with over 200 children and their families visiting in each of the past three years.
“We thought it was especially important to keep the event going this year,” Stark said.
But by September, with no end to the pandemic in sight, the Knights needed to reimagine the event. They hit upon the idea of a photo with Santa sitting in his sleigh and got to work rehabbing a 19th century sleigh they found online. Stark took apart the entire sleigh, replaced portions that were worn, and sanded and repainted every other element.
Santa Claus is known to children the world over for his Christmas night generosity. Less well known is that Santa is a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, hailing from North Pole Council No. 8303, the release said. Stark noted that even with the pandemic raging, Santa was eager to return to Amsterdam.
“Like all Knights,” Stark said in the release, “Santa shares the first principle of our order: charity.”
Photo submitted
This photo shows Santa and a visiting child during a prior Cookies with Santa. The annual event — conducted by the local Knights of Columbus — will be a little different this year because of the pandemic, but is scheduled to return Saturday. Instead of sitting with Santa, kids and their family members will stand in front of Santa and his sleigh.
November 30, 2020 at 11:06AM
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