Patients and staff at Newman Regional Health got a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus Wednesday afternoon.
The pair, along with an elf and a reindeer visited each patient room and staff bearing gifts for each of the patients and staff.
Joyce Sloat, who was dressed at Mrs. Claus and is a nurse at Newman Regional Health, puts on the event each year. This year she had help from Santa, Deb Gould, who was Rudolph, and Marianne Dixon, who was dressed as the elf. All of them except except Santa work at the hospital.
Sloat said she plans year ’round for the event. She collects and sells cans to buy the gifts for the patients and staff.
“It’s a big day for us,” she said. “We get to put a smile on their faces. It’s our way to say thanks to everybody we work with.”
Wanda Martin of Emporia was one of the gift recipients. She was being wheeled down for tests when Santa and his helpers showed up beside her bed.
“This is really good,” Martin said, with a smile. “And nice. We need a kid around.”
Ronald Spark, of Strong City, was waiting for a CT scan when he was visited by Santa and his helpers.
“They will help a lot of people,” Spark said after the group had left. “They will make a lot of people feel better.”