Some of the major donors who have made Christmas special for over 25,000 children are as follows:

• Valero Refinery

• Chris and Martha Eslava and Eslava Insurance Agency

• Crewboats, Inc. (Claire and Pat Pescay)

• Biloxi Marshland, Inc.

• Delacroix Corporation

• Meraux Foundation

• Exxon Mobile

• Parish Oilfield Services

• Guillory’s Green Store

• Amigo Enterprises

• Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society

• Pellittieri Homes

• Poydras Junction Hardware

• Chester Romero Foundation Fund

• Courtesy Discount Furniture

Santa also thanks the many other donors who are not listed above.

Without volunteers (and without MANY, MANY OF THEM), we would not have a Santa Christmas Celebration.

One of our volunteers has assisted Santa for 25 years—Jo Ann Garnand. Her daughter is also currently a volunteer.

Among our early key volunteers were Carey and Laurie Turner, Jimmy and Karen Star, Kathy Denley, Emile Pellittieri, also Santa’s boat operators, Glenn Sanchez and Mike Perry. Santa’s crew in charge of decorating the boat and the grounds were Darrell Naquin, Herman “Goat” Murrill, Carol Everhardt, and Ivy Landry.

Many of the volunteers came back year after year, responding to the warm glow they received from making the children’s Christmas special.

Santa continues to have a strong group of volunteers, including the following organizations—Kiwanis, the members of the Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society, the congregation of the St. Bernard Catholic Church, and the Los Islenos Stitchers.

If you would like to become a Santa volunteer, CLICK HERE. 

If you would like to donate, CLICK HERE.

Santa has no paid employees, nor do his officers or directors receive any funds.

Santa thanks the Parish officials of St. Bernard.  They provide the assistance that makes Santa’s operation efficient and beautiful.

The past President of St. Bernard Parish Government, Guy McInnis, and his family and friends, have cooked and distributed over 3,000 hamburgers and hotdogs to the children and their families during the Christmas Celebration.

Our new Parish President, Louis Pomes, for his untiring support in helping the children. He also shared his talent and experience

as a heavy equipment operator by operating the Santa tractor and hay wagon for both the Islensos Christmas and Santa on the Bayou.

Thanks also to Sheriff Jimmy Pohlmann for personally handling and directing the smooth flow of traffic (300 or more vehicles) during the Christmas Celebration.

Thanks to the St. Bernard Parish Council and Tourism Commission and Tourism director, Katie Tommaseo, for their continued

support for the children of St. Bernard.

And, last, a very special thanks to the Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society and William Hyland, Parish Historian, for their

assistance and encouragement during the use of their beautiful grounds for our Christmas Celebration.

The Colonial homes are beautifully decorated by the Society and is a special treat for the children and their families.

These decorations are the result of the hard work and talents of Kathy and Ralph Ziegler, and Catherine Serpas and their family and friends.

Special thanks is also due to Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society, Lena T. Nunez, and immediate past president, Ben Crowe, and the Board of Directors of the Society, and again, Parish Historian, William Hyland, and their great help in making Santa’s Celebration for the children a great success.

Obviously, many groups and many businesses have come together for the past 25 years for the children of St. Bernard to provide them a special Christmas Celebration.

To all of them and to anyone else who has helped, Santa says, “Thank You” and may be the peace of the Christ child always be with you.

—SANTA