Turnout was “a bit off” at this past weekend’s Community Christmas registration, prompting a second sign-up drive on Thursday.

Organizer Larry Avery said 400 area children from Andalusia, Pleasant Home, Red Level and Straughn communities registered for the event that provides Christmas gifts for children of needy families.

“We have 400 or so children signed up right now,” Avery said. “We will be having a make up registration this Thursday at the Andalusia Public Library from 4 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.

“It seems our advertisement got lost in all the noise of other events going on this time of the year,” he said of the decrease in registrants. Last year, more than 600 children benefited from the Community Christmas drive.

Recent figures show that the organization spends approximately $50,000 a year to provide Christmas for the needy families.