Rotary Santa flew in early again this year, directly from the North Pole, coordinating efforts with all on-duty firefighters at Coronado Fire Department headquarters, to ensure that kids around town received personal visits from that Jolly Ol’ Soul despite the downpour on Christmas Eve. Did you know that it takes more than 50 of Santa’s elves and other holiday helpers to send Santa soaring through the skies above the Emerald Isle? As in past years, Coronado’s centrally located Fire Department welcomed busy elves, bustling inside its fire brigade headquarters, sorting gifts between Santa’s multiple sleighs to cover the entire island with Christmas Eve cheer.
According to Rotarian Bob Syverson, who has spearheaded Coronado Rotary’s “Santa home visit” program alongside Tim Hodges for more than two decades, “We’re the only Rotary Club in the entire world that does this.” Started in 1929 and now approaching its 100th year as a Coronado custom, this is undoubtedly the most time-honored tradition on the island.
In addition to the dozens of volunteers who make the magic happen, which includes the entire fire fighting team at central command, more than 330 volunteer hours go into ensuring this elfish endeavor — that spreads goodwill, the holiday spirit, and just a wee bit of enchantment — actually happens.
Santa delivered more than 310 festively wrapped packages this Christmas Eve, arriving at 112 different homes — in addition to his multiple trips to the Navy Lodge at NASNI where numerous military families were temporarily housed — to guarantee that gifts reached their intended tinseled destinations.
Santa deliveries in Coronado occurred between 5 and 7 pm, so Santa could zip back to the North Pole to make certain that other children around the world received their Rudolph-guided gifts on time. Whether it was a Barbie doll or remote-controlled vehicle, a new set of Legos or Labubu plushie, Santa made wishes come true.
At one house in particular, Santa unfolded the letter he’d received from a six-year-old girl. She’d noted in her missive that while she had tried to be good all year, she was sometimes naughty. (Hmmmm, oh well, that happens.) When asked if she’d been less naughty and instead nicer, she responded a resounding “YES” and joyfully received her Santa surprise.
Rotary Club of Coronado spreads the Christmas spirit — a feeling of joy, generosity, and goodwill, centered on love, kindness, and giving to others — throughout the year. With the motto of “Service Above Self,” Coronado Rotary is the oldest and largest benevolence-based non-profit in our community.
