Santa made a visit to Marshall Goodwill and handed out candy canes and took photos with children who attended the 10th annual Shoe and Mitten Party on Friday.

MARSHALL — Friday marked the 10th year that Goodwill of the Great Plains has celebrated a Shoe and Mitten Party where brand new shoes, socks, hats and mittens are distributed to children in need in Marshall.

“I think this is a great way to help the community and especially to help kids,” Marshall Goodwill employee Caitland Miller said. “I feel like Christmas is coming early. It’s nice to see the smiles on their faces. It warms your heart. It really does.”

Marshall Store Manager Patrick Petersen and Assistant Manager Josh Tolley coordinate the effort.

“We just hope that all 55 kids show up,” Tolley said. “We try as much as we can to help out the community. For some of these kids, this is all they might get for Christmas. So just seeing the looks on their faces makes the holiday.”

In addition to receiving shoes, socks, mittens and hats, the children aged 5-11 are also given stuffed animals, books and treats.

“We’re giving away some books and Great Western Bank put on a hot chocolate bar for us and Runnings donated some peanuts,” Tolley said. “It’s just something extra. It’s just really cool and it goes to the core meaning of Goodwill.”

Most of the Marshall Goodwill employees helping out — Miller, Tolley, Petersen, Karen Leuning, Susy Martinez, Rose Gebhart, Katie Murphy, Kari Gleason and Lucas Hoekstra — wore festive outfits for the special occasion.

“Everyone is back here helping and then we do have some volunteers helping, too,” Tolley said. “It’s a relaxed day. We do a potluck for the employees and the volunteers. It’s just kind of fun for everyone all around.”

The Shoe and Mitten Party was started in 1941 by the late John Perry Hantla in Sioux City, Iowa. Each of the Goodwill stores in the four-state region hosts its own distribution party. This year, there are 17 communities in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Minnesota, serving more than 3,000 children combined.

“I’ve been with Goodwill for five years now, and it just gets better and better every year,” Tolley said.