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12-02-2012, 11:37 AM
http://fairborndailyherald.com/main.asp?SectionID=138&SubSectionID=580&ArticleID=176396 (http://fairborndailyherald.com/main.asp?SectionID=138&SubSectionID=580&ArticleID=176396http://i49.tinypic.com/qovcj6.jpg[/IMG)http://i49.tinypic.com/qovcj6.jpg[/IM

John Deere, Santa's reindeer









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[I]Herald photo by Karen Weaver
Fairborn Parks and Recreation employees Tim Pile (right) and Mike Plant test drive the sleigh that they prepared for Santa?s visit to Fairborn on Nov. 30.







By KAREN WEAVER
Special Correspondent

FAIRBORN ? While the elves are busy getting Santa?s sleigh ready for his big trip, some members of Fairborn?s Parks and Recreation Division are busy making sure they have a suitable sleigh for Santa and Mrs. Clause to ride in the Fairborn Christmas Parade.
Not just any sleigh will do. Tim Pile, maintainer and Mike Plant, seasonal maintainer were tasked with designing the ?perfect sleigh.?
?We used a John Deere Gator to start,? said Pile. ?Then we built a frame from some two by fours. Next we drew a design on half-inch and quarter-inch plywood. Then we used a jigsaw to cut along the pattern.?
According to Mitch Boebicker, Fairborn building and lands foreman, the men have worked around their other duties for the last two weeks to get the sleigh ready.
?It was probably about five full days of work,? said Plant. ?Mrs. Claus will drive it and Santa will sit beside her and will greet the kids.?
Alicia Eckhart said that Parks and Recreation Superintendent Roger Gasho has been responsible for making sure Santa gets to Fairborn?s celebration for the last 40 years. Penny Davis joins him in taking care of Mrs. Claus.
?The Fairborn Business Association is co-sponsoring this year?s event,? said Eckhart. ?Linda Riffle has done a great job in helping organize downtown businesses to take part by staying open for the event.
Eckhart said many shops along Main St. will offer free drinks and snacks like hot chocolate and popcorn. Some restaurants will have specials that evening. There will also be free horse-drawn carriage rides to help people move up and down Main Street.
?We are looking forward to making this an annual event with a consistent date of the first Friday after Black Friday each year,? said Eckhart. ?Holding it on a Friday evening keeps us from competing with Christmas shopping and Ohio State Football games. We feel that it is a perfect time for people to come downtown and enjoy the end of the week together.?
Eckhart also shared her appreciation for the Fairborn Rotary that is sponsoring Candy Cane Lane from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Fifth-Third Center downtown. The heated area will allow children to do coloring and crafts, storytelling, puppets, music by a variety of community churches? choral programs and a chance for kids to talk to Santa.
Also helping to make the event grand is the Fairborn Lions Club who donated the updated lights on the tree and poles.
?We are grateful to the library and all of the volunteers who are making this a very special family event,? said Eckhart.
The parade will start at 6 p.m. at the Fifth-Third Center and will advance to the Christmas tree at the center of town where Santa will jump out of his sleigh and say the magic words that will light the downtown Christmas tree.
Main Street will be closed at 3 p.m. from Pleasant to Central Ave. But parking will be available on all of the streets throughout the area.
?Last year we had almost a thousand people come out for the tree lighting,? said Eckhart. ?This year we are expecting even more, so we look forward to the community coming out and having a wonderful time together.?:cool:





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