Over 100 people attend annual celebration

Contributed photo
The annual Ottertail Lions DAC Christmas party was held on Friday afternoon at the Otter.

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The Christmas spirit was on full display on Friday afternoon as well over 100 people attended the annual DAC Christmas party at the Otter Supper Club in Ottertail. The event featured Christmas music, a meal, Santa Claus and plenty of time for dancing for children and adults of all ages.

The annual DAC Christmas party is held the first Friday in December each year and is sponsored by the Ottertail Lions Club. 

Mike Potocki, who helps to organize the event, said approximately 90 people were expected to attend the event, while another 20-25 helpers were also expected to assist with everything from transportation to eating and making sure the local residents have a great time leading up to Christmas. Most of the people who attend the annual celebration come from the Perham and Ottertail area. 

Potocki said even the most negative people who attend the event come away with some extra Christmas cheer after helping the DAC attendees to kick off the holiday season.

“We look forward to putting it on every year,” he said of the Ottertail Lions.

In addition to the local Lions Club, Potocki said several students from Henning School attended the event this year to help with the party. He said once the attendees start dancing to music it is hard to get them to stop from busting a move on the dance floor. Having a group of younger people as volunteers helped as members of the Lions Club could no longer keep up with attendees. 

“The kids there they like to dance and we are getting a little older to dance” said Potocki with a laugh.

The Henning School students are just some of the volunteers who helped to make the event a success this year. Potocki said the group was expecting 10 volunteers this year, but as the old saying goes, “if you need volunteers they will come.”

“They just show up. I don’t always know if they are coming or not, but they just show up,” he said of the volunteers. 

The event is free to everyone who attends as the Ottertail Lions Club pays for all of the expenses. In addition to the meal, dancing and DJ, the event includes a visit from Santa Claus.

“He sits down in a chair and every one of them come down and sit on his lap and tell him what they want for Christmas,” said Potocki. 

In addition to the Ottertail Lions Club, Sheers and KLN in Perham donate everything from potato chips and candy to help make the event a bit more special for those who attend.