MARION - Children hoping to gain an audience with Santa Claus so they can read their Christmas wish lists to him are invited to participate in a parade with the jolly old elf Saturday morning in Marion.

The parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. with entries forming at the old hospital parking lot on West Main Street beforehand. The fee to participate is a non-perishable food item or items.

Event coordinator Ed Davis of the Marion Main Street organization said Santa will arrive on motorcycle, as will ten reindeer, Rudolph leading the pack. Serving as honor guard will be local Girl Scouts.

The Paradise Alley Players will be in costume, and the Marion Junior High Pompon Dance Team will be dressed as elves.

The parade will proceed east to the civic center on Tower Square. Not long after everyone arrives at the center, Christmas carols will be performed in the auditorium by the Marion Junior High School Jazz Choir.

Santa will draw the winning tickets and bicycles, toys and games will be given away to those children in attendance. The items have been donated by local merchants.

Santa will also be available to meet with children for photographs in the lobby.

"I want to emphasize that this is a fundraiser for the Marion Ministerial Alliance," Davis said. "That's why we're hoping that both children and adults will bring at least two food items with them to the hospital parking lot or civic center."

Heartland Regional Medical Center is the main sponsor for the parade. People's National Bank, Hilliard-Lyons Investments, Hill Printing and Black Diamond Harley-Davidson are also key contributors.

"We make a $1,000 donation each year to the event," said medical center spokeswoman Staci Bynum. "It's one of the ways we give back to the community. We're proud to be a partner in this exciting event."

john.homan@thesouthern.com / 351-5805