HOT SPRINGS — As hundreds of children in Garland and Hot Spring counties eagerly await the arrival of Old St. Nick, they won’t be listening for the sound of sleigh bells ringing, but whistles blowing, with the Arkansas Midland Santa Train.
Now in its 14th year, the Santa Train will make five stops between Malvern and Hot Springs on Saturday, Dec. 4, to spread some holiday cheer while giving back to the community.
“As a business, we partner with many of the industries in Hot Spring and Garland counties as their logistics provider, and it’s always nice to try and extend that relationship to one that is a little more personal, where we can all get together and do something good,” said Stephanie Johnson, manager of market development at Arkansas Midland Railroad, and chairwoman of the Santa Train Committee.
“This fascination of trains is not lost on us,” she added. “Most of the guys that work for us are still kids at heart, and they really love it, so we like to be a part of the community. We like to make a difference when we can, and so, for us, this is a good way to do it.”
A nonprofit tradition, the Santa Train was started in 1996 by a Midland Railroad employee who wanted to incorporate two things children love: Santa Claus and trains, while also doing something positive in the areas the railroad serves.
“He tried to combine a few things that all little kids love and at the same time find a way to benefit those kids that are in our communities — give them a little something to do and something to look forward to each year,” Johnson said.
The Hot Springs Branch of the Arkansas Midland Railroad travels 44 miles from Malvern to Mountain Pine. Aboard the “North Pole Special,” Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit five locations along the route: the Jr. Babe Ruth Baseball Field in Malvern at 10 a.m., Military Cutoff Road in Butterfield at 11 a.m., the General Cable parking lot in Jones Mill at noon, the Lake Catherine Footwear parking lot in Lakeside at 1 p.m. and the Transportation Depot in Hot Springs at 2 p.m.
There will be food and games at each location for two hours prior to Santa’s arrival, and once he arrives, children will have an opportunity to visit with him. Each child who sees Santa will receive a small gift, such as a bag of candy or a small toy — provided by the sponsors of each stop. There will also be drawings for some larger gifts.
After dropping off Santa, the train will depart for its next destination, picking up a different Santa and Mrs. Claus on the way.
“All these stops overlap, so there is no way physically that one Santa Claus could do all the stops,” said Dan Bugg, director of the John Seales Animal Services Center in Hot Springs. Since 2004, he and his wife, Terrie, have played the role of Mr. and Mrs. Claus at the Lakeside stop.
“The first year, I didn’t even grow my beard,” said Bugg, who now starts growing his beard a few months in advance for the role. “I had my short beard, but I didn’t grow it out, so I wore a fake beard that year, and I thought it was kind of neat, and I saw how much enjoyment the kids got out of it.”
Bugg said there are usually between 300 and 500 children at the Lakeside stop each year.
“We get off at the Shoe Factor, and all the kids race down the hill to meet you,” he said.
Johnson said the goal for the event is to have 100 percent of the children in Hot Springs and Malvern in attendance.
Along with their dedicated volunteers, Arkansas Midland Railroad works with several corporate sponsors to organize the annual event. Sponsors include Reynolds Packaging Group, Hot Spring Power Company, LLC, K-Gen Power, Martin Marietta Materials, General Cable, Stratcor, Halliburton, Keith Smith, the city of Hot Springs, the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Malvern/Hot Spring County Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s a very good cause,” said Nikki Thornton, president of the Malvern/Hot Spring County Chamber of Commerce. “I think it’s a good way to support the community and support children who may not otherwise have Christmas presents, and there are a good mix of people who participate.”
For more information or to support the Santa Train through funds, gifts or time, call Johnson or Diana Poplaski at (501) 844-4444.