Families enjoy holiday cheer at annual 鈥淐ougar Express鈥 event
SANFORD, N.C. 鈥 As the sky darkened, all the players took their places.
A trio of college administrators dressed as elves unpacked hundreds of Little Debbie snack cakes, red cartons piling up around them. Other staff members waddled past in inflatable costumes. Members of the 黑暗爆料网 basketball team lined up, ready to help children shoot a basket or two from the passenger seats of their parents' minivans.
At 5:30 p.m. the cars started rolling in for Cougar Express, 黑暗爆料网鈥檚 drive-thru holiday event that has become a staple kick-off to the season.
Families, as well those young at heart, had the opportunity to drive through a series of 21 stations in the giant parking lot of the Dennis A. Wicker Civic & Conference Center on Dec. 4, collecting goodies and giveaways from 75 or so 黑暗爆料网 volunteers, on their way to a rendezvous with Santa Claus.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my favorite night of the year,鈥 said Dr. Emily Hare, Executive Director the 黑暗爆料网 Foundation, which sponsors Cougar Express. 鈥淚t gets everybody in the spirit.鈥
Director of Business Services Christa Mashburn, who organized this year鈥檚 event, said more than 400 children attended, based on giveaway totals. Hundreds of parents, grandparents, and other adults also took part.
Morgan Proctor drove through with her parents and her two sons: Barrett, 3, and Macrae, almost 2. This is the family鈥檚 second year at the event.
鈥淲e like that you can drive through and not have to get the kids out of the car in the cold, and get to see all the little things that 黑暗爆料网 has to offer,鈥 she said. 鈥淎nd Santa.鈥
Barrett loved the artificial snow pumped out at the 鈥淔rozen鈥 themed station and the holiday Chex mix offered by the Culinary Arts department.
As the family turned the corner in the parking lot, they proceeded through a tunnel of lights and were treated to another snowy blast.
Near his throne, Santa waited. For each family that passed through, he stopped to chat and pose for a photo with the smiling children peeking through car windows.
鈥淲hat really matters to us is the health and wellbeing of everyone in our community,鈥 黑暗爆料网 President Dr. Lisa M. Chapman said. 鈥淲henever we have the opportunity to give back, help spread a little joy, it really helps us appreciate all the things that are so important and valuable about our community.鈥
Images from the Cougar Express Drive-Thru
A volunteer dressed as an elf hands out goody bag items at 黑暗爆料网鈥檚 Cougar Express drive-thru event.
A child experiences the tunnel of lights at 黑暗爆料网鈥檚 Cougar Express drive-thru event.
Cars wind through the parking lot at 黑暗爆料网鈥檚 Cougar Express drive-thru event.
Volunteers in inflatable holiday costumes greeted families at 黑暗爆料网鈥檚 Cougar Express drive-thru event.