Koral Harris, 5, left, of Glasgow smiles as ASL II class member Cassandra Matthews, 19, of LaRue County signs with her at the Skate Box during the Signing Santa event, in which deaf and hard of hearing children were able to chat with Santa. Harris is hearing, but has an older sister who is deaf. Matthews is the president of the Western American Sign Language Organization, who helped organize the event. JESSICA EBELHAR/HERAL

Santa came early this year. He stopped by The Skate Box, a Bowling Green roller rink, to visit deaf children.

Signing Santa is a nation-wide program to bring deaf children together so they’re included in the popular holiday tradition. The program’s Santa must know sign language.

Signing Santa was Saturday at The Skate Box. The idea for it came from Regina Priddy, a 52-year-old sophomore from Bowling Green.

“My husband has played Santa Claus in our neighborhood for the last seven years, and he’s also played Santa for a school here in Bowling Green for about 30 years, so we had our own Santa suit,” Priddy said. “As I was hanging it up, I asked, ‘What happens when a child is deaf or hard of hearing? How do they sign to Santa Claus?’”

Priddy researched to find an answer. She said the closest city with a signing Santa was Nashville.

“It bothered me that there was a community that could not communicate with Santa Claus,” Priddy said.

Students from the Honors American Sign Language II class and Western’s American Sign Language Organization, as well as Ashley Chance-Fox, an adjunct ASL professor, helped organize the event.

The American Sign Language Organization isn’t officially recognized by Western yet, but it will be submitting an application in December with the goal that it will be approved by next semester, Priddy said.

Planning for the event began as early as last spring, Chance-Fox said.

“It involved finding a place and finding sponsors and people to donate,” Chance-Fox said. “Regina worked all summer to get everything organized and when we came back in August our class really started pitching in.”

In addition to the Santa, there was no admission or rental fee for skating and free food. Several door prizes were also given out.

The Vette City Vixens, Bowling Green’s recently formed roller derby team, were also in attendance. They helped children who were skating.

“We wanted to come out and skate with the kids and support the community,” said Jenni Johnson, a Bowling Green senior and founding member of the team. “We want to do as much as we can with the community.”

Bowling Green resident Nola Thompson was there with her 9-year-old daughter Aleah Thompson.

“It’s very important for Aleah to be able to communicate in her mode of communication,” Thompson said. “Knowing that most everybody would be able to communicate with her was a big plus.”

The event was not limited to deaf children, with many deaf adults attending as well.

Priscilla Woodcock drove from her home in Smiths Grove to attend.

“It’s nice to be a family and learn and socialize,” Woodcock said through an interpreter.

Priddy said she hopes to have more events like Signing Santa. She already plans for a signing Easter Bunny in the spring.