Story submitted by Christmas in Montrose.
When do the committees begin working on a popular event like Christmas in Montrose you might ask? On Friday evening, January 10, over twenty-five members of the many committees gathered at the lovely home generously hosted by RaeJean Helms. Enjoying a delicious covered-dish dinner and conversation, the members then had their wrap-up meeting conducted by Tom Follert and Seneca Lewis.
Many people ask, “Where does all the money go that is made throughout the weekend?” The goal of the event is to provide a special Christmas for those in need including children, families and adults in nursing facilities. Tom shared that approximately $5,000 was spent to help families in need in the county with things like beds, dryers, educational fees, etc.
Another $5,000 was donated to the United Way’s Holiday Food insecurity drive to support additional holiday meals in November and December at the Montrose and Great Bend Food Pantries. Any funds remaining are available to assist the needy throughout the year.
A round of applause erupted when Tom shared the amount of money donated to make Christmas special.
Each of the committee chairs had an opportunity to then share the many positive aspects of the weekend event as well as suggestions for improvement. Others chimed in to share their perspectives on a variety of the events of the weekend holiday celebration. All shared any comments they had heard during or since from the public.
Some of the items addressed for consideration included the following: the benefit of and need for volunteers; perhaps use the gazebo instead of the stage; need for more signage for events, transportation, vendors, Santa, etc.; make contacts now for an ice sculptor and Santa’s reindeer for next year; Buddy helped to make free photos with Santa work; encourage people to bring blankets for the “Take A Bite Out of Christmas” tours; do not include the play in the “History Mystery Tour”; look into the petting zoo’s Nativity; and have vendors reserve earlier.
If you are interested in volunteering, being a vendor or sharing any suggestions about the event, watch for the Christmas in Montrose 2025 website and Facebook to open as the planning progresses.