Holiday Dazzle was another success

The air was fresh and crisp. Main street lights and decorations were hung and on display, and music filled the air as Blooming Prairie community members gathered to celebrate Christmas in their hometown last Friday.
Running from mid-afternoon to late evening, guests had their pick of the crop when it came to activities. Kids could meet Santa or purchase presents at Santa House. Parents and kids had the opportunity to buy a new book at the library or take a sleigh ride around town. There were prize games, a Scrooge contest, ambulance vehicle tours and the official ribbon-cutting ceremony honoring the reopening of Main Street.
One of the earlier events of the day was the Women of Today Santa House, which ran from 2-6 p.m. next to the library.
The event proved a safe place for parents to let their kids loose for a few minutes, as volunteers led children around, choosing presents to purchase for family members.
Second-year volunteer Carol Pirkl explained the concept.
“The idea is that the parents don’t have to do a lot,” said Pirkl. “They can just unload their kids on us for a few minutes. We’ll help the kids make a list of who they are getting presents for and give them a bucket. Then we walk the kids around, or if they’re old enough they can walk around themselves and pick what presents they want to get for who. (Lynn Borchert helps them figure out how much it all is. They tell their parents who give them the cash, and then we wrap the present and they can go.”
Pirkl added that many of the gifts are hand-made and others are donated by the Women of Today.
Right next door to Santa’s House was the first ever Friends of the Library book sale.
“This is a fundraiser that The Friends of the Library decided to do,” said the organization’s President Linda Christiansen. “We purchased books for sale and there are book for children, young adults and adults, and we’re providing gift wrapping and gift tags.”
Christiansen noted that 20 percent of ever book purchase goes back to the Friends of the Library.
“It’s nice to have this opportunity, and this is just the perfect time with Holiday Dazzle, because all the kids are showing up to see Santa and do their shopping,” said Christiansen.
Christiansen also noted that the event will be going on through Thursday, Dec. 9, and there will be one or two group members there each day.
“Hopefully, we’ll run out of books by the end of that night,” said Christiansen.
The Friends of the Library is a non-profit organization that has been supporting the young children and adults in Blooming Prairie since 1976. Christiansen invited any community member to come to a meeting. They are held at 6:30 p.m. every third Monday of the month.
The night in Blooming Prairie also held the announcing of the 2015 Scrooge contest winner. Each contestant raises money for the downtown holiday lights, and the contestant to raise the most is crowned Scrooge.
This year’s nominees included Ann Weedman, Greg Johnson, Brad Clark, Eric Vigeland and Mitchell Jones. Weedman blew away the competition, raising over $200.
“I had heard Becky [Noble] mention that she needed another Scrooge, and I said I would do it,” said Weedman. “She told me I needed to stop being so darn happy all the time. My jar came and I just started telling people to put money in it. And I had multiple people come back and put more money in it, so that was really nice.”
With the money raised from all contestants, community members can only hope the street looks as beautiful at next year’s Holiday Dazzle.