A Reverse Santa Claus Parade scheduled for this weekend in Spirit River will be going ahead, but with a change. Central Peace Fire & Rescue and FCSS volunteers had planned to planned to walk the streets with Santa Claus and his elves collecting donations of non-perishable food items, new toys, and money for their hamper program.
However, due to the extreme cold weather in the forecast for Saturday, they’ll instead be opening the doors of the Rycroft Fire hall. Residents are encouraged to bring their children to meet Santa from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and bring a donation with them.
The makeshift parade will then move to the Brown Lee Building in Spirit River from 1 to 5 p.m. Anyone who can’t make it can still arrange to have donations picked up. To do so, call Dolan in Rycroft at 780-978-1739 or Kara in Spirit River at 780-864-5698.
The Central Peace Fire & Rescue is a newly formed fire service made up of the Town of Spirit River, Village of Rycroft and Municipal District of Spirit River’s fire departments. The hampers they’re collecting will go to more than 50 low income families and seniors in those communities, along with Saddle Hills County and Birch Hills County.