Bode Sports Complex hosts annual Mayor's Children's Christmas Party
Dec. 10—Today, St. Joseph Mayor John Josendale, alongside Santa Claus and the St. Joseph Figure Skating Club, hosted this year's Mayor's Children's Christmas Party at the Body Sports Complex.
The free event, which celebrated 40 years of existence, ran from 10 a.m. to noon, including a short program by the figure skating club, a variety of sweet treats and public skating.
With this marking his first year helming the event, Mayor Josendale stated that he believes the celebration is memorable for the city's children.
"This is just something we do for the kids. It's a great time of year. I think this is one of the things that the parks department does for the city and the kids that they really enjoy doing. We do the lights at the park, at Hyde Park and Krug Park, and it's traditional to do this, and there are a number of different companies and individuals who help support this," Josendale said."It's an opportunity for, a, the kids to come down and enjoy one of the park areas we have, the ice arena, and then to meet Santa and enjoy it. It's just a fun time of year, and it's all about the kids, and that's why it's fun to do this one."
Josendale also stated that getting a hold of Santa for the event was a matter of relaying how great St. Joseph's children had been over the past year.
"Well, it's kind of easy (to get ahold of Santa) because you know Santa's really into the good, naughty and nice, and we were talking about how the kids of St. Joe have been pretty good this year. So, you know the ones that came out, we checked on a couple of them, and they were good. Santa was kind of doing his test run to make sure, but for him to get out and see it, it's a lot of fun."
Mayor Josendale also invited families to visit the Holiday Lights at the Krug and Hyde Parks throughout the remainder of the month.
Daniel Slaybaugh can be reached at daniel.slaybaugh@newspressnow.com.
