By: Teresa Todd
The 3rd Annual North Pole Stroll was an amazing success this past December 2017, in Big Springs Memorial Park. With a record number of children and parents coming to visit Santa, and the guests visiting the park daily, attendance easily reached over 10,000 for the 30 days of festivities.
I would like to take the time to thank our sponsors, community organizations, and decorators for their time and energy that made this annual event a “Holiday Hallmark” event for our community.
The event wouldn’t be possible without the efforts from Ben Wiley and the City Parks and Recreation staff preparing the park with the beautiful Frazer firs; Mr. Kerr and Ms. Calvert from Lowes of Athens who secured the 52 seven-foot-tall trees, which made this year’s Stroll even better than the ones in the past; and for everyone’s special efforts, I greatly thank you all!
Santa, as always, was amazing! His kind-hearted patience and caring demeanor, listening to each and every child and adult who had a wish list for him, was fantastic.
Lynne Hart and volunteers of Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful with their exhibit the “Tired Family” was the place to snap a selfie or take a group photo to remember your experience for the holidays.
The Athens-Limestone County Tourism staff, Cayce Hutchins, Andrea Turner, and Teresa Todd, are all very proud to bring this event to our community each year and look forward to making it happen again in 2018 with a Bicentennial flair.
Thank you to these Tree Sponsors & Decorators:
Medical Massage Therapy; City of Athens Utilities and Relay for Life; Athens First United Methodist; First Presbyterian Church of Athens “on the Square”; Dr. Griggs Orthodontics; Limestone County Master Gardeners; Optimist Club of Athens; Dealer Auto Auction; Friends of Athens Limestone Animal Shelter; First Baptist Church Mission Group; Martin & Hubbs Inc.; Welleswood Venue Inc.; Brown & Brown Accountants; Limestone Health Facility and Athens Dulcimer Group; Athens News Courier and Girl Scout Troop 1922; Southeast Quality Refrigeration; Great Oaks Management and the Limestone Lodge Assisted Living; EFI Automotive; Athens Lions Club; Fowler Auction & Real Estate and Athens Main Street; Innovative Realty Solution, LLC; Lowes of Athens; Maria A. Taylor – Learn to Read Council of Athens & Limestone County Inc.; Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives and Volunteers; Boy Scouts of America Arrowhead District; Karen Sticker – In Memory of Korry Young; The Valley Star; Chick-fil-A of Athens; The J.T. Ray Company; Brody Jackson – State Farm Ins.; the Family of Richard and Mabel Gooch; Courtesy First Home Lenders and Athens Arts League; First National Bank; Athens-Limestone Hospital Department of Radiology; Wee Wisdom’s Little Red School; Hospice of Limestone County; Innovative Health Solutions; Redstone Federal Credit Union; Southern Home Realty of North Alabama; Defensive Applications and Behind the Badge; Capt. Thomas H Hobbs Camp 768, Sons of Confederate Veterans; Traditions of Athens; Kindred Hospice; Alabama Real Estate Solutions; Athens Limestone Community Association; Jimmy Smith – Buick – GMC; Smith INFINITI of Huntsville; Recentered; Athens Dental Associates; Greater Chamber of Commerce L.E.A.D program; and the Huntsville International Airport.
By: Teresa Todd, TMP
President, Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association
