Santa Claus is coming to Sanibel
Be on the lookout for Santa, who will make a special visit to Sanibel on Dec. 23.
The annual Santa Run event makes sure that Santa shows up at your door with a gift for someone special in your home. Santa will make his stop on-island thanks to the organization and assistance of the Kiwanis of Sanibel-Captiva.
Santa Run was started 45 years ago by islander Dick Muench, who is the last founding member remaining of the island club. He had implemented a similar program in Syracuse, New York.
“I thought it would be a great idea to start down here,” Muench said. “About 13 years ago, in honor of the holiday’s meaning, we started helping Tom Louwers and Friends Who Care by delivering presents to seniors and children on their list. It has become a really great thing for our community and everyone, no matter what age, remembers Santa’s visit for years to come.”
For those interested in having Santa visit their home, the club would be happy to schedule him to deliver a present to that special someone – young or old. To do so, take the following steps:
– Drop off the wrapped present or presents at Fire Station 171, at 2351 Palm Ridge Road, Sanibel, before Dec. 23 at 5 p.m.
– Make sure each gift has the recipient’s name, address and phone number clearly written. You may also include a brief note about the person as Santa appreciates some insight into how well-behaved the individual has been – it helps him personalize his message.
– If it is being delivered to a condo unit, detailed address instructions are requested, possibly including a map to show the location of the unit in the condo complex.
The elves will sort the presents into six routes, and the deliveries will be made on Dec. 23 between 6 and 8 p.m. There are six Santas each with a different route and each one has an elf and a driver. In the course of the night, the teams make about 125 stops in total, with each doing about 10 stops per hour.
“The driver is in charge of the route, the elf is in charge of the presents and Santa is in charge of the smiles,” Muench said. “We hope people will have their cameras ready to capture that memory.”
When he visits, Santa will wish the entire household a Merry Christmas and will personally deliver gifts to each special someone. In the past, some of the deliveries have occurred at large parties where a chair is ready for Santa once he arrives, where he will sit and talk to all.
“I really enjoy seeing all the kids’ smiling faces – they get so excited about seeing Santa,” he said. “People always tell me how special Santa’s visit was to their loved ones. It’s so much fun for everybody, including Santa.”
For more information, contact Dick Muench at 239-472-2812.