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Charlee Cougar welcomes all visitors to Central Carolina Community College's Christmas Tree Lighting/Santa Visit Thursday evening at the college's Lee County Campus. Pictured with Charlee are (from left) Teresa Kelly, executive director of Christians United Outreach Center; Megan Swindell, an eighth grader at Grace Christian School; and Kaylee McBride, a seventh grader at East Lee Middle School. Visitors enjoyed an early evening of fun with Charlee, Santa, members of the Southern Lee High School Marching Band, and a reading of 'T'was the Night Before Christmas.' The evening concluded with the Cougars-William Peace University basketball game, where the Cougars triumphed 65-57, the team's first win over a four-year institution's varsity team.

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Children listen with anticipation as Central Carolina Community College Board of Trustees Chair Julian Philpott (left) entertains with a reading of 'T'was the Night Before Christmas' at the college's Christmas Tree Lighting/Santa Visit Dec. 6 at the Lee County Campus. Children and families had their pictures taken with Santa Claus and Charlee Cougar, enjoyed music by members of the Southern Lee High School Marching Band, watched the tree lighting, enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate, and took home a wooden tree ornament.

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Lighting the Christmas tree was an important part of Central Carolina Community College's festive Christmas Tree Lighting/Santa Visit Dec. 6 at the college's Lee County Campus. Brian Merritt (left), the college's dean of Student Learning, was part of the crowd that gathered for the event. Children and families had their pictures taken with Santa Claus and Charlee Cougar, enjoyed music by members of the Southern Lee High School Marching Band, watched the tree lighting, enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate, and took home a wooden tree ornament.

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Rosa Cerna's family, of Sanford, was among the many who had their pictures taken with Santa at Central Carolina Community College's Christmas Tree Lighting/Santa Visit Thursday at the college's Lee County Campus. During the event, visitors enjoyed music by members of the Southern Lee High School Marching Band, watched the tree lighting, listened to a reading of 'T'was the Night Before Christmas,' enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate, and received a wooden tree ornament for their home tree.

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Members of Southern Lee High School's Marching Band, under the direction of Matt Miller, entertained at Central Carolina Community College's Christmas Tree Lighting/Santa Visit Thursday at the college's Lee County Campus. Children and families also had their pictures taken with Santa Claus and Charlee Cougar, watched the tree lighting, enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate, and took home a wooden tree ornament.

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Children were eager to have their picture taken with Santa during Central Carolina Community College's Christmas Tree Lighting/Santa Visit Dec. 6 at the Lee County Campus. That is, except for nine-month-old Sophia Black, who wanted nothing to do with the jolly old elf. At the festive event, children and families had their pictures taken with Santa Claus and Charlee Cougar, enjoyed music by members of the Southern Lee High School Marching Band, watched the tree lighting, listened to a reading of 'T'was the Night Before Christmas,' enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate, and took home a wooden tree ornament.