First Midwest Bank hosts fourth annual live Nativity

First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau hosted its fourth annual living Nativity on Friday with the help of students from Saxony Lutheran High School, a donkey, two sheep and a camel.

Saxony Lutheran students Cody Griggs and Cara Jansen, both 16, portrayed the roles of Joseph and Mary and braved the winter wind inside of a handmade wooden shelter in front of the bank at 1820 N. Kingshighway.

�Our choir teacher asked us if we would like to do it.� Jansen said before the event began. �I�ve been an angel in my church�s live Nativity, but never Mary. I think it�ll be a fun experience.�

Griggs said he has acted in similar Nativity presentations before, but has never participated in a live Nativity outside.

He was bracing himself for the cold, but also was looking forward to the adventure.

Dandy Vanskike leads Suzie around a live Nativity scene Friday at First Midwest Bank in Cape Girardeau.JOSHUA HARTWIG

�They said there was going to be a big crowd, which makes sense,� Griggs added.

Heather Short, assistant vice president/branch manager of First Midwest Bank, also was in attendance Friday.

She said the location began hosting the event during its first year in its new building.

�We wanted to have Santa, but also wanted to celebrate the real reason for the season,� Short said. �We thought it would be an original thing for a bank to do.�

First Midwest Bank�s branches in Dexter, Sikeston and Van Buren, Missouri, hosted live Nativities for the first time this year, she said.

Santa Claus holds Heidi Kramer as her brothers Hoyt, left, and Hayes, pose with them for a photo during First Midwest Bank's live Nativity scene Friday in Cape Girardeau.JOSHUA HARTWIG

Lazy L Safari Park has provided the animals since the first year of the event, she said.

�We�ve continued to build our manger and stable every year and get our characters, our volunteers,� she said. �We�ve always done the hot cocoa and coffee. It�s just a tradition now.�

jhartwig@semissourian.com

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