Thank you - again - Edmonton!

A simple "thank you" goes a long way.

The 2012 630 CHED Santas Anonymous program is once again a huge success.

Close to 25,000 children will soon be opening presents on Christmas morning thanks to the 'hundreds and hundreds' of volunteers that make it happen every year.

630 CHED's Santas Anonymous runs 'year round' - it has to - due to the magnitude of the need and in an economy as robust as Edmontons the need is 'not' going to get any smaller.

There's a staff of people co-ordinating the entire project 12 months of the year - from raising funds - to organizing the storage and care of the toys that come in to the 'temporary' warehouse - to setting up wrapping nights - and eventually the delivering of the toys prior to Christmas.

Thank you Lana Norlund.

Thank you everybody who volunteered.

Thank you Corus Radio Edmonton.

My thanks to those people and to 'you' if you or your family helped out - because like the character in "A Creature was Stirring" the magic happens when the green garbage bags full of toys leaves the warehouse and ends up at the homes of the recipients.

I personally know of 'three' generations of Edmontonians who make this happen.

People who started delivering in the late 1950's now deliver with their children 'and' their grandchildren - which is the ultimate in 'paying it forward.'

I hear several stories from these people about how Santas Anonymous makes their Christmas special.

I truly understand that!

And I also hear from people who received presents from Santas in the past while they were growing up and they now are huge ambassadors for the program - and also pay it forward with their own children.

My father passed away in September of 1981 - and each year he would weave his magic from the FORBES family room while my brothers and I returned from whatever city we were working in and the vision of Dad  is still vibrant with his  pipe in hand - fireplace crackling - a glass of his favorite Scotch nearby - Christmas music on the radio - and a look of extreme pride of achievement on his face.

Today I can't even imagine what he would think - but I do know he would say those simple words that I started with in this blog - THANK YOU EDMONTON - you did it again!

Merry Christmas.

**PS:  630 CHED's Santas Anonymous and the Christmas Bureau will be moving in to the new Jerry Forbes Centre for Community Spirit in the coming years.  Please 'like' us on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter @jerryforbescentre to follow our progress.**