This article was published in High Country Press.

High Country kids will get to play Santa this Saturday, choosing and wrapping presents to place under the tree for mom or dad.

For the second year, the High Country Women’s Fund and the Children’s Council of Watauga County will host a Holiday Family Festival. This year’s festival will take place Saturday, December 11, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the National Guard Armory in Boone.

At the festival, kids can visit Santa’s Workshop and choose a gift for a parent from a selection donated for the event. Women’s Fund volunteers will help wrap the gifts.“We just wanted to make this day special for the moms,” said Mary Jo Grubbs, a member of the Women’s Fund. “They tend to be overlooked at Christmas.”

The event will also feature treats for parents, including a silent auction and a bakery. All proceeds raised will benefit the Children’s Council and their efforts to promote the health and potential of Watauga County kids.

The Women’s Fund is still seeking volunteers and donations for the festival. Volunteers may participate in a variety of ways, including dressing as an elf to help kids choose a gift, wrapping gifts, and assisting with setup and cleanup. Donations needed include small gifts, wrapping paper, ribbon and scotch tape.

For more info on the event and to volunteer, contact Grubbs at 828-406-0008 or mar0817@aol.com. Drop off gifts and wrapping supplies at The Children’s Council at 225 Birch Street, Suite 3, in Boone.

And, Grubbs added, don’t erase the festival from your calendar if the snow keeps falling. Last year’s event took place in the middle of a large winter storm as well.

“We’ll just keep our fingers crossed,” she said, “that Mother Nature gives us a break.”