The city’s annual philanthropic celebration of Christmas, Santa Run Chania, is returning again this year and will be held on 26th December. The meeting point this year will be the Plateia Katechaki, in front of the Megalo Arsenali/KAM, and later on the premises of the 1st Gymnasio near the Agora. At the same time the highly successful “Fill a sack, be a Santa” scheme is being reintroduced.
Sacks are being distributed free on the ground floor of the KAM every day from 13th to 24th December, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00. Participants should fill the sacks with writing materials, school materials, drawing and musical supplies, puzzles and educational games. The Municipality of Chania will give a bonus of 15 euros for every sack collected and the income will go towards the needs of the children supported by the city’s main charitable institutions:
– ELEPAP Chania (which supports children with all kinds of disabilities: motor disorders, learning difficulties, neurological disorders etc)
– KIFAAMEA (daycare centre for children with cerebral palsy)
– KIFAP “Megalochari” (daycare centre for autistic children)
– The “Orizontas” Association (supporting adults and children suffering from cancer).
The sacks and their contents will be given to the above bodies and other agencies caring for children as decided by the Municipality of Chania.
Santa Run Day
The day will start in Katechaki Square with a discothèque, street food and bar catering, and events and face painting for children. Participants who register will get a free Santa Claus uniform, then all will take part in the symbolic delivery of sacks following the route to the 1st Gymnasio of Chania, where there will be a party in the forecourt. Entrance to the party is free for all those delivering sacks. Those who only wish to join the party can enter on making a voluntary contribution.
The Municipality of Chania will double the sums thus collected. It will also distribute the gifts collected, through the Community Grocery Store, to the children of families which have difficulties in meeting their living costs or health issues.
Exact timings have not yet been published but will possibly appear on the Santa Run Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/santarunchania/