Christmas Stroll 'superbly' successful by Martha Quetsch Elburn's Christmas Stroll Friday was a huge success, thanks to clear weather and good timing. “The event went absolutely superbly,” said Brian O'Connor, co-chairman of the Elburn Chamber of Commerce stroll committee. The event's host, the Elburn Chamber of Commerce, gauges the turnout based on the number of children visiting Santa Claus at the Elburn Town and Country Public Library, a stroll highlight. This year, the total was 1,100, library director Mary Lynn Alms said. In 2005, children stopping to see Santa numbered 1,000. Last year, a heavy snowstorm kept many people from going to the event, whose library Santa had just 600 visitors. The stroll was not on the same evening as Geneva's holiday walk this year, which in addition to the better weather likely contributed to high attendance, O'Connor said. For several years, the Elburn stroll has coincided with Geneva's walk. Chamber officials decided to host their event a week earlier in 2007. “We wanted to help avoid some of the congestion in the holiday calendar,” O'Connor said. For people taking the Metra train to Elburn for the Christmas Stroll, the chamber arranged for a 14-seat van to provide free transportation from the village station to downtown. “We did that for the first time this year, because we weren't competing with Geneva and thought they would come out on the train,” O'Connor said. O'Connor added that if the chamber determines the van was well-utilized, it may bring back the service next year. Stroll events stretched from downtown to the Elburn and Countryside Community Center on Main Street, just south of Route 38. The center was a popular place, its attractions ranging from wine tastings to mini-train rides. “The turnout was fantastic,” community center coordinator Laurie Studdard said. “There was a steady stream of people all night long.” A silent auction brought in hundreds of dollars for the center. Chuck Liss, of Elburn, placed the highest bid of $400, for a pin-hole flag autographed by professional golfer Phil Mickelson. 12/07/2007