Surprise Christmas party for kids and families hosted by La Crosse auto racing group for the 10th year

The auto racing season in the La Crosse area doesn’t last until Christmas, but the Henderson Motorsports Group has found a way to celebrate the holiday with several families for a decade now. 

On Sunday, Henderson put on its 10th annual Christmas party for families with children, selected by local school officials, that might not be able to afford certain things for the holidays.

“Nine years ago we started, with one family, and it just grew to 10 families now,” says Henderson spokesman Tom Ludwigson. “Lot of good people that are donating to the cause and to the event.”

Businesses provided toys for the kids, along with food and other presents for their families.  Sunday’s party took place at the Fox Hollow banquet hall in Barre Mills.

Ludwigson says the kids from the chosen families get a chance to ask for the presents they’d like.

“Each child gets to name whatever they want for Christmas, and (it’s) very seldom that we don’t get what the kids want, and the parents,” he said. The kids also get special shirts from the racing group.

In the past decade, the Henderson group has collected $60,000 in presents for the families invited to the holiday party.