Dashing through the snow

WASILLA — About 80 children in need got to witness Santa Claus mush his dogs across Knik Lake and crowded around him inside the Knik Bar Saturday afternoon. One by one, they sat beside Santa in front of a huge pile of presents and Christmas tree and received two gifts each during the annual Knik Kid’s Christmas Party.

“This is a big, big deal for them,” Bill Kendig, who played Santa for the day, said.

This event is geared for families who need help giving their children presents and that Christmas experience. The bar collects donations throughout the year and as the event nears, the staff goes out and buys the various items on children’s wish lists.

Chrystal Albert started cooking at the bar two months ago and is currently in the process of moving to Knik. She said that she helped wrap the more than 180 gifts. She said that she enjoyed the tight knit community and regular customers at the bar.

“The people who come in are really nice and everyone knows your name," Albert said.

This tradition started more than 30 years ago with previous Knik Bar owner Sally Welch, according to Kendig. Since then, it’s passed through four different owners and shows no signs of slowing down. Current Knik Bar owner Darlene Donnelly bought the bar about 17 years ago. She said that seeing the happy children scamper back to their families with big smiles makes this annual tradition worth it.

“It will happen as long as I’m here. This will happen every year,” Donnelly said.

Donnelly said that she also hosts Thanksgiving dinner each year and invites the community to sit down and eat with them. She moved to Knik from Anchorage in 1995. She said that all the people in the Knik area were like “one big family” and many of them circulate through her doors.

“It’s kind of like the community bar,” Donnelly said.

Katie Bourland works as a bartender Friday nights. She too attested to the reoccurring kindness in the Knik area and in the bar near the end of the road.

“We’re kind of isolated out here but whenever you need something, there’s always someone right there to help you,” Bourland

This is Bourland’s second year volunteering for the event. She said that her favorite moment from last year was when a girl who really wanted a Barbie playhouse discovered just that under the wrapping paper and she and her parents all cried tears of joy. She saw plenty of happy children this year too.

“Just seeing the smiles, that’s the best part. Lots of happy kiddos, I mean look em,” Bourland said as kids of all ages chattered, squealed and giggled.

Kendig said he took the mantle of Santa over 30 years ago and he loves donning the red cap every year.

“He’s a big part of the community out here too," Bourland said.

Kendig said some kids brought him drawings and one girl brought him a candy cane.

“It went smooth as silk. Those kids had smiles on their face, everybody’s hugging,” Kendig said.

Kendig said he wants this event to keep growing each year and wants to get the word out so more people pay into it, helping the children in need.

“That’s the big thing, the donations to make this thing happen,” Kendig said.

He is currently trying to create an official non-profit centered around it and said that over time, when they accumulate more money, they can start investing some funds to places in the community like Redington High School.

“We can really use this positon to help the community as a whole if I start generating some serious money,” Kendig said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com