Santa Cop and Heroes program plan barn dance

WASILLA — Organizers are hoping a whole lot of adults will show up to dance the night away Friday to benefit the Santa Cop and Heroes program.

“We’re doing door prizes every half hour so hopefully that will get people there and keep them there because they want to win a door prize,” said Alice Williams, HR specialist for the city of Palmer and volunteer with the Santa Cop program.

Another big draw — the popular country group the Ken Peltier Band — performs from 8 p.m. to midnight.

Oh, and there’s going to be a mechanical bull. Don’t forget about the mechanical bull. The program’s fundraiser/barn dance is its second annual, but this year’s installment is at the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center in Wasilla. Williams said those door prizes and silent auction items are kind of a big deal.

“We’ve got things from everybody,” Williams said.

They include everything from a case of wine to a railroad trip to Denali. There are multiple gift cards to the Army Navy Store in Anchorage, others for restaurants. There’s a gift certificate for tattooing and body piercing. There are hair products, pizza coupon and a two-hour private plane ride.

Some of the prizes are more services than goods, like the guy who’s offering to take you out shooting.

“We have one person that evidently owns every type of gun that you can imagine,” she said.

Santa Cop and Heroes has been doing good in the Valley for seven years. It began as an idea to try and transform the often-negative view the public has of police officers and has grown every year since.

Every year on Christmas men and women in uniform take presents and food to the Valley’s elderly residents. A lot of times, organizer Donna Anthony, a Palmer police officer, said in previous interviews that Santa Cop volunteers are the only company many seniors have that day.

“It’s not even really the presents. They’re just happy someone is there,” Anthony has said.

Each year the program has grown, bringing in every Valley police agency and now other types of Valley emergency responders, including medics and firefighters.

That contingent was the impetus behind the program’s decision this year to add that “and Heroes” to the program’s name. It’s an effort to recognize the work the non-cops have done and continue to do to help the program succeed.

The list of seniors receiving visits last year stood at more than 120. The list tends to grow and shrink continuously as new seniors are identified for inclusion and others on the list pass away.

But, to get back to the barn dance, unlike last year, organizers say this year the event is adults-only. No one under 18 will be admitted. They’ll be serving beer and wine with refreshments available at the sports complex’s concessions stand.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Second annual Santa Cop and Heroes Barn Dance

WHERE: Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, Wasilla

WHEN: 6 p.m., Friday

WHY: Funds raised to benefit the Santa Cop and Heroes senior outreach program

COST: $15 per person, $25 per couple