Santa & his helper share a special story with preschoolers

Old Saint Nick arrived with an assistant Friday morning — appropriate for reading “Santa’s Little Helper” to preschoolers as part of the “Reading with Leaders” program at Neighbor to Neighbor.

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Santa Claus, who is sometimes known as Richard Palmquist, and Peg Loveland entertained the nearly 50  3-, 4- and 5-year-olds with the story of the little bunny Snowball who falls asleep in Santa’s sleigh. The book is by Angela McAllister and Daniel Howarth.

As the storytelling session continued upstairs in the downtown Concordia center, the parents and grandparents of the preschoolers were treated to holiday snacks provided by the Neighbor to Neighbor staff and volunteers.

The “Reading with Leaders” storytelling program is coordinated by the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Initiatives office and hosted by Neighbor to Neighbor. The storytelling series began in September and will continue through May. The next session is Friday, Jan. 11, at 10 a.m., and the book to be read will be “Dancing Feet.” Each child registered receives a free copy of the book. Advance registration is required, by calling 785-262-4215.

The program is funded in part with a grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.

Here’s the schedule for the rest of the series, with all the sessions at Neighbor to Neighbor, 103 E. Sixth St., Concordia:

• Jan. 11, 2013 — “Dancing Feet”
• Feb. 15, 2013 — “Hot Rod Hamster”
• March 8, 2013 — “Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day”
• March 22, 2013 — “The Giving Tree”
• April 12, 2013 — “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”
• May 3, 2013 —   “Green Eggs & Ham”