News
RB Kids Get Christmas Calls From Santa
By John Burton
TINTON FALLS - Were they naughty or nice? Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and some helpful elves were finding out as they called some local children find out that answer and to see what the children were wishing for as the holiday approaches.
OK, it wasn't really Santa and the missus and elves. But members of the Greater Red Bank Kiwanis Club joined some local high school and college students to call students from Red Bank schools giving them a Christmas call from Santa.
Club members were invited to use the Tinton Falls branch of the Two River Community Banks, 656 Shrewsbury Avenue, Tuesday evening to place the calls.
The Kiwanis club worked with the Red Bank Parks and Recreation Department and borough schools for the program. A form was sent home with primary school children from borough schools, where children and their parents were asked to provide information about the children's age, siblings, pets, favorite subjects, the best time to call from 5-8 p.m., and of course, what they would like for Santa to bring them.
The children were asked to return the forms to "Santa's mail box" in the school office, or mail it to the Parks and Rec office in Red Bank This year, according to Kiwanis member David Prown, more than 300 of the forms were returned. The Santas and their helpers would spend about three hours calling the children.
Bill Kelly, a Kiwanis member from Rumson, who was busily calling away, said of his calls, "They've been saying they've been good."
You think?
Kelly was working with Isabel Magnus, Little Silver. "I'm the head elf," Magnus said, explaining her green and red hat.
Kids have been asking for a wide array of gifts, with Magnus noting they've been a call for, "A lot of electronics."
"That's what's written down," she said, showing one child's form.
"Hello, this is Santa from the North Pole, where we have a lot of snow. I received a letter from Cade," Kelly said in one of his calls, talking to a five-year-old kindergartener.
"She didn't believe I was Santa Claus," Kelly said, with a shrug, after the call.
"It's fun," Magnus said. "It makes kids happy."
Apparently not just the kids.
"It's so easy to talk to them if they respond to you," said Jean Kelly, Bill's wife, who was Mrs. Claus for the evening.
One child told Jean, "I know you're the real Mrs. Claus by your voice," Jean said, as she chuckled.
Jean's partner - I mean elf - was Teresa Manning, Rumson. Manning had one little boy ask for an electric train and a remote-controlled car. "They're so well mannered; they always say 'thank you,'" Manning said "It just makes you feel good," doing it, Manning said.
"The kids get a real kick out of it," Jean observed. "Us too."
This is the third holiday season the club has been doing it, Prown said. And, "If this doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit," Prown said, "nothing will."
