Santa Party at the AJMC

Each year, the Allan & Jean Millar Centre staff holds its Santa Party event in the ATB Financial fieldhouse. Half a dozen tables were set up with Christmas crafts. There were also many games, and a special visit from jolly old St. Nick himself, to celebrate the season as a community.

Recreation co-ordinator, Emma Harper said that they grow the event each year. “We’ve been doing this event for many years and it’s a partnership between Recreation and ParentLink. We offer different crafts and games, and we do it in conjunction with our Community Fun Night which is sponsored by Tim Hortons, so we have the bouncy castle out and treats from Tim Hortons, too.”

Cactus Patch Ranch was also part of the event offering horse-drawn wagon rides to families. With the mild weather, quite a few folks took advantage of the trot around the parking lot and then made their way inside to join around 200 other attendees for all sorts of fun. There was a gingerbread man craft, a section of the wall was papered off for drawing on, and there was a huge pile of boxes to stack and build with.

The next Community Fun Night is in the new year on January 20, and Giant Games will be the theme. Coming up soon will be a fun sleepover that normally takes place in the summer. “We usually do a Kids Sleep Over in the summer and this year, we are doing our first winter one,” Emma said. She reminds parents that they need to register for it if they want their children to take part. “Staff will stay with the children and they will play games in the dark, watch a movie, then have breakfast in the morning. It’s a lot of fun and we’re excited to be offering it in the winter for the first time.”

The sleepover is open to kids aged eight to 12, and there are 30 spots open for it.  Register by calling or visiting the AJMC.