Family Fun Night engages more kids with Children's Auction and its mission

BELMONT — Santa and the Grinch entertained over 600 children and their families at this year’s Family Fun Night for the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction at Belknap Marketplace.

Santa was dressed in an elaborate deep green attire, and a curled mustache, and the line to greet him stretched throughout the entire mall. Jenny Wyatt brought her 2-year-old daughter McKinley to meet Santa. Wyatt said it was the first thing they did after arriving.

“We got here and got in line,” she said.

Volunteer Paige Youschak-Thompson loved seeing all the kids line up to meet Santa.

“I started crying when I saw the kids with Santa,” she said. “It brought me back to when the kids were innocent and young.”

Wyatt said it is nice the event was free. She also watched as her daughter got accustomed to the large bearded man.

“She’s at the age where she’s still kind of scared,” Wyatt said. “But that’s the fun of it, watching her grow.”

Kids enjoyed other activities as well. Lowe’s of Gilford donated 325 wooden toy kits for children to put together, creating loud hammering noises that echoed through the mall. The Lakes Region Community College Hospitality Club in the culinary and pastry arts program donated cookies, and Shaw’s of Gilford brought frosting and sprinkles for decorating. The Snow Family band played Christmas tunes for the children. Belmont fire and police departments were also there with activities at their booth.

Laconia Kiwanis brought 300 books for children to take home, and Woodland Heights Elementary School librarian Robbie Neylon, and kindergarten teacher Liz Erickson read Christmas-themed children’s books to kids in the Mattress Firm storefront, which had made some beds with holiday-themed sheets and pillow cases for kids to sit on while they listened. Neylon said reading these books to kids is a magical experience.

“It brings delight, and it makes me happy sharing the magic of Christmas with kids, and see the looks on their faces,” she said.

Youschak-Thompson said in addition to the activities provided for the kids, she thinks the timing of the event allowed so many families to come.

“The 4:30 to 6:30 [p.m.] is perfect, because they’re just out of school and just off work,” she said.

Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce President Karmen Gifford had just finished volunteering on the live auction set by the time the Family Fun Night event had started. She was excited to see so many people there, and spoke to how it can directly benefit the auction.

“We have some amazing stores now in this marketplace, and so I've seen some people come in and buy gift cards and bring them and donate them while they're here,” she said.

She also thought that beyond the money-raising aspect of the event, she believes it connects children to the Children’s Auction in a way that otherwise can’t be done. For the auction to grow, people need to interact and connect with it.

“When I was up on live, the little kids were coming up and waving. And to me, that makes them feel like they're part of something,” she said.

“It's not just reading about it in the paper or something in the school, and [on] a flyer; it's actually experiencing it.”