Welcome to the Village of Valatie Santa Claus Club

Village of Valatie Santa Claus Club

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History

Schedule

Routes

Santas Mailbox

Email Santa

News

Photos

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In Memory 60+ year member Norman Freinberg passed away October 27.

The Nation's First Santa Claus Club

History

Christmas in Valatie is a special time.

Each Christmas Eve, Santa himself visits the homes of little children-courtesy of the Santa Claus Club. Santa’s parade starts at 3:30 p.m. when he begins his journey down the streets in the village to the tune of Here Comes Santa Claus. Soon afterward, he visits children age 10 and under in their homes, calling each by name and delivering a box of gifts. The club was established in 1946 by 15 area men to provide gifts for the poor. Local clothing mills-an important source of employment-had died out and it was to be a bleak Christmas. To bring some Christmas spirit to the village, the men used money from their Army separation pay, and provided gifts on Christmas Eve for the children. Thus began the first Santa Claus Club in the nation. The effort was greatly appreciated by local residents, who have supported the Club enthusiastically ever since, making it a true community event. The concept has been adopted by other communities throughout the country and international inquiries have also been made. All of this happened in the village where Virginia O’Hanlon Douglas, of “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus” fame died in 1971. The little girl who was looking for the spirit of Christmas and the existence of Santa, had found them both, alive and well, in Valatie, New York.

Schedule

November 29,2011 Weekly meeting _ 6:30 pmDecember 6, 2011 Schedule Weekly meeting _ 6:30 pmDecember 10, 2011 Winter walk _ 4:30 pmDecember 13, 2011 Weekly meeting _ 6:30 pmDecember 13, 2011 Census dueDecember 20, 2011 Raffle drawing Weekly meeting _ 6:30 pmDecember 23,2011 Set-Up 1:30 Packing _ 6:00 pmDecember 24, 2011 Parade starts _ 3:00 pmDecember 24, 2011 Deliver
Routes blueweb

Routes

Bells Acres Mickey Bell, 392-3136 cebell_yahoo.comChatham Street Norm Teator, 758-1752Main Street Kevin Walsh, 221-9884 walshkvn_aol.com Upper Main Street Pat Farell,755-4507 psf51_gmx.com Church, Lake, Church and Horseshoe Drive Chris Reilly, 758-1575Mechanic/New Street Wally Brough, 758-7420 Kinderhook Street Joe Pawlik, 758-6358Seven Pines, River Street, Albany Avenue Joe Laviano, 758-1741Endryck's Court/Holly Hills Peter Endryck, 598-7946 Pendryck_gmail.com
Santas Mailbox redback

Santa's Mailbox

Santa has placed his mailbox at the Valatie post office on 1050 Kinderhook Street for all the children to send him letters. Santa will do his best to answer every letter!

Email Santa npweb

Contact Santa at the North Pole

santa_nycap.rr.com

News

Prizes were awarded to:Rocking Horse - Chistafer TappiaBike - Sophia DunnEasel - Corinne MyerStuffed Giraffe - Nicholas PuchnerTrain Play Table - Brady HolzhauerBike with training wheels - Jaden RexDoll House - Mackenzie WhitneyStuffed Zebra - Nicole JarnovBarn with animals/tractors - Gabriella Two-AxeBike - Jerrid HudsonRaffle Winners:1st $500 Winston Burt2nd $ 250 Joan & Ray Novack3rd $125 Norris Benway4th $75 Carol J Williams5th $50 Joan Kelly
Photos blueweb

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Some Of Santas Helpers.JPG

Santa's Helpers

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