DID VEGAS CAPTURE THE WORLD RECORD FOR MOST SANTAS?
Within the sea of over 7,000 Santas was the real hero of the Great Santa Run organized by our favorite charity, Opportunity Village as its big annual fundraiser. Injured illusionist Roy Horn who walked the 1k course in little more than an hour even threw away his walking cane to show the recovery progress he’s making.
“He’s better than last year, stronger and faster,” said proud partner Seigfried. “Last year was a miracle and this was even more extraordinary. All year long for the 12 months, Roy had been waiting for this to do even better. It was his goal and he won that, we’re coming back, slowly but surely.”
Explained Roy: “The Las Vegas community and all of my fans put a little extra magic in my step.”
Their manager, Bernie Yuman told me: “The progress is remarkable. Roy has the strength of a thousand men and the spirit of a royal lion.”
Some of their fans traveled from as far away as Europe to join their team to help Vegas officially beat Liverpool in the dual-city challenge to grab the Guinness Book of World Records championship title.
Opportunity Village president Linda Smith told Luxe Life: “The official number of participants who showed up and signed in for the Great Santa Run is 7,123 smiling red suited Santa’s! We are absolutely thrilled. We broke the world record, we had the most participants, raised the bar and have set a new number to beat. A huge thanks goes to MGM Mirage properties for getting 3,000 of their employees to take part. Their commitment and support took us over the top and we are now no.1 in the world, but more importantly, the 800 developmentally disabled citizens and their families served by Opportunity Village every day are the ultimate winners.”
“Can you believe it,” she screamed excitedly, “Vegas holds the world record!”
Our merry Mayor of Mirth, Oscar Goodman, who will celebrate his 70th birthday in July, was on hand with Planet Hollywood’s The Beauty of Magic headliner, Hans Klok, Red Rock headliners Zowie Bowie, and politicians Shelley Berkeley and Senator John Ensign. Even Santa and Mrs. Claus showed up with their daughters and a team of dancing reindeer that got the crowd in line doing the Macarena, the Electric Slide and a Conga line.
Now that is a sight! Despite the 8 a.m. frigid temperatures, I read a poem written by one of the Opportunity Village children to inspire the Santas to sign up in order for the Guinness statisticians to record everybody and register the win against Liverpool:
“What Happens in Vegas stays in Vegas except on December First
The runners, walkers and friends will come and a record we will burst
You’ll see Santas to the left and Santas to the right-it will be a time for all to cheer
We will shatter the record Liverpool once set and be back again- year after year after year.
So please take this challenge back to Liverpool and share it with all of your kin
A world record is on the line - may be the best team win.”
“You’ve beaten the Brits,” I humbly acknowledged as the token whipping boy!
Now Vegas waits until mid-week for Guinness World Record suits to announce the official victory over Liverpool that claimed the previous “largest gathering of Santas” two years ago. Last year Vegas thought it had topped Liverpool, but the accounting experts on both sides of the Atlantic compiled incorrect figures, so the battle was totally voided.
Mayor Oscar Goodman told me: “It’s looking good, and once we’ve grabbed the title we’ll hold onto it forever.”