It was Christmas in the Park at the Kenvir Walking Track recently. Bill and Joanna Childers, of Brittains Creek, organized the event to give community children time with Santa and toys to take home with them.

“When I was little, we got pokes from Santa,” said Childers. “It was right here in this same park. We decided to dedicate this year’s event to all our coal miners in Harlan County and hope this helps them as well as others.”

Childers said they received local donations, as well as donations from Indiana and Ohio. She said everyone is always generous in giving for this annual event.

“Of course, Marvin and Cynthia Wynn, from Short Town, always come and represent Santa and Mrs. Claus for us,” said Childers. “We appreciate them. We’re serving hot chocolate, coffee and cookies. We’ve got gospel singing and approximately 100 bicycles to give away, along with lots of new toys.”

The Rev. Joey Robertson, with the Harlan County Sheriff’s Chaplains Corps, said he was there to help in the giving of the Christmas spirit.

“I want to share the real message of Christmas to the adults and children,” said Robinson. “Jesus is the reason for the season. I just hope everyone remembers that.”

Linda Smith, of Evarts, said she brought her two grandchildren to the event. She said they loved to come to the park and socialize with the other kids.

“It’s a perfect day,” said Smith. “The kids have looked forward to this all week. They have been hoping for snow, but personally I’m glad we didn’t get any. This event is a big help to the community.”

Jerry Rogers, from Florence, said over the past year he and Ron Rollins had purchased used bicycles and cleaned and fixed them up.

“We have approximately 100 bikes to give away,” said Rogers. “I’ve got a lot of cuts to prove the work we have put into fixing these bicycles up. It just makes me feel fantastic to see the face of a child when they get a bicycle. I’m originally from Number Two Camp here in the Evarts area. I grew up poor, so I’m just trying to give what I didn’t have when I was a kid. I had a lot of help from Ron Rollins and Marsha Henry Rogers. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Rollins, from Toledo, Ohio, said Rogers contacted him and asked for his help in gathering, cleaning and repairing all the bicycles.

“I’m really just a second hand to Jerry,” said Rollins. “We went all over the Cincinnati area and picked these bicycles up. It’s just something we wanted to do to give back.”