STRONG – Santa Claus is coming to town, and he’s bringing gifts to give to children he meets from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Fire Station.

Mary and Stephen White of Strong have been purchasing toys all year in anticipation of Santa’s visit this year. With a garage half-full of wrapped and unwrapped toys, gifts, quilts, hats and mittens, they have collected enough for 150 children, Mary said Tuesday.

This is the second year the couple, along with son Patrick Kenney, have been involved in bringing Santa to town, but Mary admits that they don’t do it alone.

“There’s so many people involved, too,” she said.

Women from the firemen’s auxiliary have been helping to wrap gifts and are preparing refreshments for the event. Some women from local churches donated knitted hats and mittens, she said.

Project Linus has donated 170 quilts, said Kathy Palmer of New Sharon, who makes sure blankets and quilts are donated to different organizations throughout Franklin County. While Project Linus began mostly for hospitalized children who are ill, she said she enjoys the quilting and just wants to be sure that “every child in the county is warm.”

After hearing about White’s plans for the Santa visit, Palmer said she donated enough to cover the number of children who are expected to attend, with a few extras.

This year, the Fire Department was asked to become involved, White said.

“The town has received a new fire truck within the last couple months, so children are invited to come see Santa and the new truck,” she said.

White, who annually holds a large lawn sale and donates profits to different organizations, said money raised last year was donated to firemen for new uniforms. When Fire Chief Scott Dyar came to the Santa event at the Forster Building in full dress, she said, one 4-year-old couldn’t take his eyes off him and so it seemed appropriate to get the department involved.

The younger firefighters, the Hot Shots, have helped create posters for the event, and tours of the fire trucks will be given and refreshments served, she said.

“It’s a social event, something for the kids,” she said, while also admitting that she couldn’t wait either. “The children just gleam all over as they visit Santa.”

The Whites took the project on after employees from TDS, a local communication business, could no longer donate presents to area children. The business would collect donations throughout the year and hold a Santa night in some towns. When it couldn’t do the event any longer, White stepped in.

She shops year-round looking for the best bargains, she said. The shopping started right after Christmas last year in preparation for next week’s visit. Gifts have been purchased mostly for ages 12 and under and some special needs individuals, she said, and any child is welcome even if they don’t live in Strong.