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Shoppers got a break from playing Santa with kids in tow last weekend, thanks to the assistance of local high schoolers.

The Helping Hands Fun Day Fundraiser, a combined effort of the Freedom, Liberty and Heritage high school Interact clubs, offered parents a chance to drop off their 4-to-10-year-olds at Freedom's multi-use room, where games, snacks, beverages, crafts, prizes and even Santa stood ready to keep them busy and safe while Mommy and Daddy hit the stores, or simply enjoyed some quality time to themselves. 

This is a great service, and best of all, it's for a wonderful cause, said Susanna Wahl as she and husband Larry dropped off their son Eric, 5, and daughter Juliann, 3. We'll be getting a little time to take care of some Christmas shopping, among other things.

The cost of the event $5 per hour or $15 for the day raised money for L&N-4, a charity to make prosthetic hands and distribute them to third-world countries. Although turnout was low (about two dozen kids) for this first-time event, Sarah Knight, Freedom's Interact president and lead organizer, said it was enjoyable to provide help in two ways.

What I enjoy the most is seeing the kids have fun and knowing that this is helping the community and people abroad, she said.

Advisor Diane Alexander praised the club members for the effort they put in and the quality of care it provided. Parents got a really good deal and everybody had fun, she said. There's talk of doing it again.

Beth Lichtenberger contributed to this article.