With Christmas quickly approaching, Santa and the elves have been hard at work in their North Pole workshop! As reward for all that hard work, Santa decided to take a short break and visit beautiful St. Petersburg. From noon to 3pm on Dec. 1, you’ll find Santa and two lucky elves at Crescent Lake enjoying the Florida sunshine. As a thank-you for the warm welcome, Santa will pose for pictures taken by professional photographer Alison Amick. So bring your pets, your kids, and yourself, and have a photo made with Santa!
Take a Picture. Make a Difference in the life of a Dog (or Cat or Bird or Rabbit or …)
Santa is an animal lover (just ask Rudolph!), so he’s using this visit as an opportunity to raise money for one of his favorite charities. You’ll pay a small fee of $10 to have your photo made with him and the money will be donated to a great cause, Gimme Shelter Pet Adoption. Gimme Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, charitable organization run entirely by volunteers. Its purpose is “to rescue animals out of overcrowded shelters where they are at risk for disease and euthanasia.” Once rescued, the animals are fostered in volunteer foster homes until they can be placed in permanent, loving homes. The goal is for these animals never to experience being homeless or unloved again. Find out more about the great work they do at gimmeshelterpets.com.
Meet, Treat, and Relax
Gimme Shelter will also be on site that day with a small selection of pets seeking to be adopted into their forever homes. So come meet the newest member of your family! Volunteers also will be available to answer questions about other ways you can help. And because no event is complete without treats, Lady’s Event Caravan featuring Baked will be on site with cookies and hot chocolate for people and special treats for fur babies. Lady’s Event Caravan featuring Baked will donate profits to Gimme Shelter. And if choosing the perfect outfit for your holiday photo shoot has left you a bit stressed then, Chris Crawford of North Shore Chiropractic will be on site offering massages.
Photo by Alison Amick Photography.
Santa’s Little Helpers
As Jenny Roche of RE/MAX Realty Unlimited noted, “Who wants to go to the mall and wait inside when you can get Santa AND the sunshine.” It’s a perfect Florida combination. For the second year in a row, Roche helped make this wonderful event possible. She and local businessmen Mike Rettew of Rettew Law and Crawford of North Shore Chiropractic, are the event’s primary sponsors, with additional help, support, donated time, and supplies from local professionals Alison Amick Photography, Florida Print Solutions, and Lady’s Event Caravan featuring Baked.
Santa Claus: Good Fun and a Good Cause
If you like Santa or pets or cookies or massages or hot chocolate or having your picture made or December in Florida then come on out to Crescent Lake Park between noon and 3pm on Dec. 1. It’s a perfect way to spend an afternoon, commemorate the holiday season, and revel in the perfect weather of a St. Petersburg December. While you’re enjoying your day, you’ll also be supporting a worthy cause. As Gimme Shelter explains, “approximately 6 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million of those animals are euthanized due to overcrowding. Too many animals, and not enough people to adopt or temporarily foster them, result in the killing of reasonably young, friendly and healthy pets each day.” You can help. So come on out! Enjoy and help an animal live a safe and happy life.
Article sponsored by Jenny Roche of RE/MAX Reality Unlimited. She is “never too busy for your referrals.” For more information, visit her at her office at 2012 Fourth St. N, on the web at www.homesaroundstpetersburg.com or call (727) 308-3330.
