Opportunity Village will attempt to break the world record for the largest Santa gathering with the Great Santa Run on Dec. 3.

The Great Santa Run serves as a fundraising effort to benefit Opportunity Village, an attempt to break the current world record for the largest Santa gathering and provides a light spirited warm-up run for participants in the New Las Vegas Marathon the following day. Opportunity Village is the official event partner for the New Las Vegas Marathon.

The race will begin at 8 a.m. with registration fees of $35 prior to Nov. 30 and $75 on race day. All proceeds will benefit Opportunity Village.

The first 4,500 participants will receive a five-piece Santa costume complete with hat, belt and beard during registration. Participants may choose from the 5K race or the Kris Kringle Jingle one-mile fun run for the casual walker or jogger. The event will take place in and around the Fremont Street Experience.

The current world record was set in December 2004 with 4,260 participants in the Newton and District Dial-A-Ride in the United Kingdom. Opportunity Village expects at least 4,500 participants for the Great Santa Run. Representatives of the Guinness Book of World Records will be present to witness and document the event.

The head Santa and honorary chairman for the event is Mayor Oscar Goodman. He will serve as the official Santa starter for the festivities at the Fremont Street Experience. Siegfried & Roy are also honorary chairmen of the Great Santa Run.

For more information on the run, call 880-4081 or visit www.opportunityvillage.org.

Opportunity Village is a Las Vegas-based, not for profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities to improve the quality of their lives and the lives of their families. Opportunity Village is the largest private provider of vocational training, employment, advocacy and recreation for people with disabilities in Nevada.