For the 23rd year, community volunteers, Information Technology Services at SUNY Fredonia, and DFT Communications have donated their time and expertise to bring Santa and Elf Holly to the homes of local viewers on Wednesday, Dec. 18, and Thursday, Dec. 19. Santa and Elf Holly are assisted in their North Pole television studio by a crew of TV and phone elves to provide this special holiday program for children.
The live television call-in show, “Talk to Santa,” will be presented beginning at 6:30 p.m. each evening. For two nights, children and their families can tune in to watch Santa and his assistant, Elf Holly, as they take live phone calls from viewers who want to let Santa know what they would like for Christmas. Children and their parents can dial 679-XMAS (9627) to talk to Santa.
The show was the brainchild of the late SUNY Fredonia staffer Ron Warren, who began making plans for the show before his death in November 1991.
It will be shown on Time Warner Channels 5 and 17 in Brocton, Cassadaga, Fredonia, and Stockton, and on Channel 19 in Dunkirk, Silver Creek, Forestville and Hanover.
DFT Communications has donated its time and expertise to bring Santa and Elf Holly to the homes of local viewers. DFT provides a special Santa Claus line that receives more than 300 calls during the two-day program.
Children throughout the county will be able to tell Santa about their special wishes this Christmas. These wishes are not always about toys. Sometimes it’s to bring a soldier home safely or to wish that someone recovers from an illness.
Local area schools cooperate by encouraging first and second grade children to write letters that may be read on the show as time permits.
The program originates from Thompson Hall on campus. Colin Plaister, “Talk to Santa” coordinator, joins Tom Sullivan, Marcia Merrins, Adam Pellittieri, Andrea Wasiura, Bob Scott, Brad Markham, Charley Mancuso, Chip Riewaldt, Christa Haynes, Debbie Ormsby, Denise Maze, Doug Johnson, John Malcolm, Laura Sarek, Lisa Eikenburg, Lotte Morse, Michelle Twitchell, Mike Sullivan, Paula Arntz and T. John McCune.
