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Exhibit now open in downtown Great Bend
‘Santas Around The World’ brings multi-cultural Christmas cheer and local lore to Great Bend
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Special Holiday Delivery – Great Bend artist Loretta Miller delivers a refreshed Santa Claus to the Santas Around The World exhibit in the spring of 2023. The special delivery joined the suits of Randy and Sandy Smith together once again, after the couple spent decades bringing holiday cheer to the community. “I thought they both came out very well, but I admit that Mrs. Claus is my favorite,” said Miller, following the delivery of Santa to the exhibit. “She’s a happy woman. Sandy always had a smile and a twinkle in her eye, so I think Mrs. Claus captures that element of Sandy very well. I think having their suits in the exhibit is remarkable. I’m glad that the two of them will always be together forever in their suits, in Great Bend, Kansas, and we will always be reminded of them every holiday season.”
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Mistletoe Memories – Randy and Sandy in their outfits (Nov. 2008), stealing a kiss during a quiet moment at one of many Great Bend holiday parades and festivals that they helped usher in for the community each year. Through five decades - four of them serving as the Claus couple - they never charged for their appearances, but instead, accepted donations and gave the money to an organization, charity or a family in need.

The Santas Around the World exhibit, located at 1223 Main Street, is now open for the Christmas season. Twenty-five life sized Santas, representing countries and regions from around the world, appear in a winter wonderland of lighted trees and festive holiday décor in downtown Great Bend.

Additionally, the City of Great Bend provides a free opportunity for Santa Claus to visit with children at the exhibit location during the same regular hours that the Santas exhibit is open to the public.

The public can visit the international Santa display from 4-6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and from 1-6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. People can schedule appointments outside of those hours by calling Mike at Rosewood Studio (620) 792-2536, info@rosewoodservices.com. The Santas exhibit will be on display and Santa Claus will be available through Dec. 22.

The Santas Around The World exhibit is presented by Roots & Wings Foundation, which provides therapeutic, educational and recreational opportunities to people in need who have developmental disabilities.

There is no charge to visit the exhibit, but a freewill donation is suggested to provide funds to Rosewood Roots & Wings Foundation that go toward helping to maintain the ‘Santas Around the World’ exhibit. Also, a portion of the funds are donated to Great Bend’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program for helping to man the booth through the season.

The multi-cultural Santas are a collection that span mostly six years of work and artistry by Great Bend artist Loretta Miller, beginning in 1999. Then, in the fall of 2022, the community’s longtime Santa Claus, Randy Smith, donated his late wife Sandy’s Mrs. Claus outfit to be used for the new addition to the exhibit. Miller’s completed work of Mrs. Claus was her first to the exhibit in 17 years, and the new sculpture was introduced to the public during the Christmas 2022 season. Following that season, Randy donated his Santa suit to the exhibit and Miller infused new life into Santa Claus for the 2023 season. Sadly, Randy passed away last February, but not before experiencing the joy of last holiday season, knowing his suit joined Sandy’s in “Santa Spirit” as part of the Santas Around The World exhibit.

“I knew when I donated Sandy’s Mrs. Claus suit for the exhibit last year that my suit would soon follow, once I completed my role as Santa Claus,” Randy explained last year, after five decades of morphing into Jolly Old Saint Nick. “Just like Sandy and me, our suits belong together.”

People can find out more about the exhibit by visiting the website, SantasAroundTheWorld.com.