For nearly two decades, a simple holiday photograph has helped local families preserve memories while giving vulnerable animals a second chance.
Pictures with Santa, organized by photographer Mandie Curty and photographed by Linda Reinholtz, returns this December for its 19th year of festive photos and fundraising for Animal Harbor.
The tradition began in 2007, when Reinholtz was living in Nashville and building a photography business she hoped to pursue full-time after returning to Winchester. Her sister-in-law, Mandie Curty, was then serving as president of Animal Harbor’s board. Together, they recognized an opportunity to introduce the community to Reinholtz’s work, increase awareness of Animal Harbor, and raise money for animals in need.
Animal Care Center and Tractor Supply Company supported the project from the beginning, and Reinholtz said making the event a fundraiser was “always just part of the plan.” Pictures with Santa have continued every year since, except in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although the event has grown and improved, Reinholtz remembers its humble beginning fondly.
“None of us had a clue what we were doing,” she said. “Our backdrop was a festive tablecloth hung from a broom handle.”
Husbands of Animal Care Center staff members volunteered to portray Santa during that first event. Dr. George Bowers even needed a pillow tucked into the suit to complete his Santa transformation. The setup may be more polished today, but Reinholtz said, “the spirit of it has not changed a bit.”
Through the years, that spirit has welcomed a remarkable variety of guests. Dogs and cats may be the most frequent visitors, but Santa has also posed with horses, pigs, chickens, hedgehogs, ferrets, and even a tiny monkey that Reinholtz believes was a marmoset. Santa is willing to greet almost any animal, with one firm exception — snakes.
One especially memorable visitor arrived unexpectedly after the Cowan Christmas Parade. A parade participant stopped at Tractor Supply to purchase supplies for her horse and noticed the photo event. She asked whether Santa would take a picture with him. Since the horse could not enter the store, Santa and the photography team took a field trip into the parking lot and created the holiday portrait there.
At the center of those memories is the volunteer wearing the red suit. Several people served as Santa during the event’s early years, but Mitch Kendrick joined the team in 2012 and has filled the role for more than a decade. Each year, he gives an entire weekend to the fundraiser and takes time with every guest.
“He is the heart of the whole thing,” Reinholtz said. “He never rushes a single family. He is patient with the nervous dogs, the cats who would rather be anywhere else, and the kids who need a minute to warm up.”
For some participants, Pictures with Santa has become a yearly marker of the Christmas season. Families have returned since the earliest events, allowing Reinholtz and her team to watch children grow and pets age. Some visitors even bring photographs from previous years to share.
“That means more to me than any single picture does,” Reinholtz said. “I hope they take away a little tradition.”
She also hopes participants remember that their holiday outing provides meaningful support for animals awaiting homes. Animal Harbor cares for animals that, as Reinholtz explained, “did not get a fair shake,” often while operating with limited resources. Money raised through the event helps provide food, veterinary care, and opportunities for adoption.
Despite its reputation as a pet-friendly event, Pictures with Santa is not exclusively for animals. Families, couples, grandparents, children, co-workers, and individuals are welcome to participate, with or without a furry companion.
Reinholtz encourages families not to worry about achieving a flawless pose. Pets do not need perfect manners, and children do not need to sit completely still. Often, the unplanned moments become the most memorable images.
“Some of the best pictures we have taken are the ones where nobody is looking at the camera,” she said. “Just come as you are, and know that whatever you spend goes straight to helping animals in our community.”
This year’s Pictures with Santa will be held at Tractor Supply Company on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 6, from 1–4 p.m. Whether visitors arrive with children, co-workers, a beloved pet, or simply a Christmas smile, each photograph will help continue a tradition that captures joy while offering hope to animals across the community for years to come. GN
