The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SANTA’S Wonderland Christmas party kicked off on Monday evening, bringing holiday cheer to the Grand Bahama community still healing and trying recover from Dorian.

The four-day free family event is spearheaded by Bass Pro and Convoy of Hope, which has been partnering for the past 20 years in responding to disasters all over the world. The YMCA play field has been transformed into Christmas village abuzz with excitement of carnival-type rides, mega slides, and bouncing inflatable slides, lots of games, toys and food.

Santa Claus also made his grand entrance in a monster truck. The event climaxed with a Junkanoo rush-out and fireworks display. No one left empty-handed—each child received a Christmas present, and the adults were given a package of grocery items.

In order to pull off this big event, some 250 volunteers both locally and abroad came onboard to help. During the opening ceremony, event organiser Johnny Morris, of Bass Pro Shops in the US, thanked all the volunteers, sponsors and organisations and individuals that have contributed to the making the event a success. Additionally, Mr Morris made cheque presentations totalling $150,000 to the cause of three local organisations. A $50,000 cheque was presented to Karen Pinder-Johnson, executive director at the YMCA, for roof repairs at the Y; to Pastor Robert Lockhart and his wife, Michelle, to continue their ministry at Calvary Temple Church, and to a young man identified as Justin Lewis, of Bonefish and Tarpon Trust of the Bahamas, a fisheries conservation organisation.