Despite the devastating storm damage from the night before, the Homewood Santa Claus Society proceeded with their 5th annual walk on Sunday, Dec. 10 in hopes of spreading holiday cheer during the difficult times.
Over 200 men dressed in Santa suits and various Christmas costumes walked or rode on decorated golf carts, floats or ATVs about 2 miles through the streets of Homewood, throwing candy to spectators and spreading the holiday spirit.
The event is not only a parade, but also a fundraiser for several charities in the Birmingham area, primarily the Mike Slive Foundation for prostate cancer research.
Richard Paddock, founder of the Santa Claus Society, says that they use various methods to raise as much money as possible from the event.
“We’re actively working on getting higher-level sponsorships,” Paddock said. “We try to solicit donations from local businesses and restaurants throughout the year for our silent auction which generates a lot of the money we donate.”
The event for participants kicked off at 1 p.m. at The Grocery Brewpub where the Santas socialized and made their bids on the silent auction. The $100 entrance fee paid for all food and drinks and included a charitable donation.
At 3 p.m. the spirited group embarked on their parade route with their largest number of participants yet.
Paddock says that they took some inspiration from the Homewood Witches Ride when forming their vision and hopes the Santa Claus Society can reach their level of growth in the future.
“It started out as more of a gathering of friends,” Paddock said. “Now it’s been expanding more and more and we’re really growing from a membership standpoint which is helping us attract more sponsorship opportunities at a higher level. We obviously hope that this will continue.”
After the Santas landed back at the brewpub from their promenade, the winners of the silent auction were announced and the event wrapped up around 9 p.m. after an evening of socializing and holiday cheer.
Keat Litton, 3-year event participant, shared his appreciation for the event and why he’s involved in the Santa Claus Society.
“It’s always a good time,” Litton said. “A lot of my friends get together and it’s a good excuse to have some fun and raise money for a good cause. Tis’ the season, after all.”
