“Ho! Ho! Ho!”
That is the magical greeting being heard by Coronado residents as the local Rotary Club continues its annual gift-giving program this Christmas Eve.
According to the club, Santa Claus will stop at hundreds of homes in Coronado marking the 96th year of memorable visits for everyone from newborns to 90-year-old residents.
“Its a group effort,” said Coronado resident Bob Syverson, who co-chairs the Rotary Santa Program. “It’s a labor of love for everyone.”
Syverson, alongside other Rotarians like his wife, Debby, and Tim Hodges, spent 23 hours collecting gifts at Chase Bank beginning Dec. 17. These gifts, addressed to homes all over Coronado, are delivered on Christmas Eve through the Santa program.
The evening of Dec. 22 marked the conclusion of gift collections.
This year, Santa and elves will be transported around town by reindeer, delivering gifts in what Syverson calls “a family affair.”
“It’s a way that they spend Christmas Eve together,” said Syverson. “It’s just fun for them.”
A ‘spirit of the season’ tradition
Syverson said gift deliveries in the past have included a horse, puppies and engagement rings.
Coronado resident Dan’l Steward remembers Santa delivering a teddy bear to his daughter, D’amy, when she was an infant.
“I saw that magic … and I thought, well, I’d like to be part of that,” said Steward, who is now a Rotary Santa.
The Steward family has been involved with this cherished Christmas Eve tradition for over 10 years.
“Some people say, ‘Well, you’re giving up your Christmas Eve,’” said Steward. “No, you’re not giving up your Christmas Eve, you’re sharing Christmas Eve joyfully with a lot of other families.”
Steward’s wife, Amy, and D’amy have joined him in creating a memorable experience for Coronado children, many of whom they’ve seen grow over the years.
“It’s so magical and it is a group effort,” he said. “It’s one of those small community traditions … a marvelous tradition.”
Commending the decades-long service by the Syverson family, Steward said Rotarians in Coronado enjoy helping out fellow citizens.
According to Syverson, the Coronado Rotary Club, established 1926 and celebrating its 100th anniversary in March, houses the only Rotary Santa program internationally.
“We’re proud of it,” Syverson noted, “but it’s not pride. We’re just really lucky that we live in a village. That this kind of tradition can be carried on, because we haven’t outgrown it.”
And Syverson says the program would not be possible without the support of the Coronado Fire Department, Chase Bank and all its volunteers.
“It’s the manifestation of the spirit of the season,” added Steward. “It allows you to see Christmas again through a child’s eyes.”
