Barn dance with your favorite cops

PALMER — With two big-name local singers, food, beverages and dancing, Santa Cop and Heroes’ annual Barn Dance, its organizers promise, will be even better this year.

“We want to bring that Western atmosphere back to Palmer, that country ho-down,” said Donna Anthony, a recently retired Palmer police officer and driving force behind the Santa Cop program.

Those two local acts are Ken Peltier and Hobo Jim.

“We’re starting out with Hobo Jim, getting people laughing. It’s kind of nice to have him because he’s kind of the Alaska legend,” Anthony said. “Towards the end of the night we’re going to switch it up with Ken Peltier and dance the night away.”

Each Christmas, Santa Cop and Heroes brings gifts and a hot meal to seniors who would otherwise be alone on the holidays. The program has grown since its inception as a strictly-law-enforcement organization to one that includes other uniformed responders like firefighters and medics.

And, this year it’s grown yet again.

“This year we partnered up with the Christmas Friendship Dinner,” Anthony said. “They’re going to be doing our meals on Christmas for us.”

She said that the program is adding a shuttle service to bring seniors out to the Friendship Dinner if they want to.

“And the seniors that can’t make it, we’ll make sure they’re delivered to them,” Anthony said.

In addition to dancing and music, there’s a split-the-pot raffle and a mechanical bull. Flowers By Louise has donated 100 roses people can buy for their sweeties. There’s also a photo booth and a silent auction that’s even bigger than last year’s giant spread.

It takes a lot to put together something like this, Anthony said, and a whole lot of folks donated to it, including both the cities of Palmer — which donated use of the MTA Events Center — and Wasilla — which donated the stage and flooring to cover up the ice rink.

IF YOU GO

What: Barn Dance to benefit Santa Cop and Heroes

Where: MTA Events Center, Palmer

When: 6 p.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday

Cost: Individuals $20, couples $35