Paul Szmal: Good morning, it's 8.37, it's FLX Morning Thursday, and we have the one, the only, Santa Claus Zooming with us. Good morning. Ho, ho, ho, ho, how are you, Ted? Now there's been a lot of confusion about this over the years. There are those who believe that Santa is a Kiwanian or an elk. I'm sure you had offers from a number of social and service clubs. What made you decide to become a Geneva Rotarian?
Santa Claus: Well that was an easy choice. We give a lot back to the community, and we raise funds for the various community projects for the kids. So it was an easy thing for Santa to do, to become a Geneva Rotarian. We're going to talk about the Santa Train Express, and if you go to our club site, GenevaRotaryClub.org, you'll see the link for the Santa Train Express. I finally, for my first time last year, got to be a volunteer, because I usually have some kind of game or something, and man oh man, it was fun to volunteer, but just the looks on those kids' faces. You know, it's a rough day for everybody involved, but it's a fun day. The expressions on the kids' faces, there was one little guy last year, and he could not sit still, he couldn't stand still, and if you ever wanted to have, well, we have a live video for last year's train. It's just pure happiness on that kid's part. Riding the train, seeing Santa Claus, hot chocolate, you name it, he was just the happiest little camper you could imagine.
Paul Szmal: So this year's train is on Saturday, December 7th. Most people probably know this by now, we take off right near the Public Safety Building on Railroad Place. Trains at 10 a.m., 11.30, 1, 2.30, and 4, so just tell us everything these kids get when they ride this train.
Santa Claus: Well, we have coloring books and crayons, and of course, you've got to have Santa, your wish list to turn into Santa. We have available hot chocolate and snacks on the train, but more importantly, every kid gets a chance to sit on Santa's lap and to talk to them and tell them what exactly they'd like for Christmas, and explain whether they've been good or bad, and those little ones that have been bad, they sure come up with some good excuses to think that they were good. And I know the last two trains of the day are the pajama trains, those are very famous and very popular, and if you want your tickets for those, do we even still have some?
Paul Szmal: Oh, yes, we've just started selling tickets, so I think we've only sold about 20% of the tickets so far, so both those trains are still available, and the first train usually sells out quick because, one, it's the first train of the day, and two, Santa shows up on the fire truck, so they get to see the fire truck, and so the first and last sell out first, and then it's the third, followed by the second, and they sell out fast. I expect we'll be done probably within two to three weeks. So you want to get your tickets, they're $25, they're available online at the Rotary Club site, go to GenevaRotaryClub.org, look for the Santa Train link, and I know also a number of Rotarians and some other people in the community will purchase blocks of tickets, for example, for Boys and Girls Clubs kids and things like that.
Santa Claus: Yes, and for the library, too. So anybody that... Santa wants everybody to have a chance to get on his train, so anybody that's in a particular problem that they can't afford the tickets for all the family, get a hold of me. My number's on the website, and we'll work out something to get them on the train. One big difference this year is, instead of selling tickets through the Smith Opera House, we're doing it ourselves on our website, so that's the big difference this year. So again, that's GenevaRotaryClub.org, you'll see the link to the Santa Train Express, and last year there was also a dancing bear running around who looked very much like a boxer to me.
Paul Szmal: Yeah, he'll be there again this year. Yes, the funny thing about him, it's no big secret, it's Ray Cingolini underneath that costume, and two years ago, three, we were down at the... Ray and I were doing Santa and my honey bear down at the Visitor's Center. They had a special down there, and his own grandkids came in, and they didn't know who was in the bear costume, and to this day they have videos of the kids playing with the bear, not knowing who it is. I wasn't sure, actually, until he gave me a hug and I felt his fists, and I went, I know that bear. The other part of him being the bear is he helps to hold down the tent.
Santa Claus: Now, if you would like to be a sponsor for this event and help out Rotary, you can call the chair, Dave Cook, he's a good friend of Santa's, at 607-279-3152, 607-279-3152, and we're going to have Mrs. Claus as well.
Paul Szmal: Yes, we will. Can't have Santa without Mrs. Claus, because some of the youngsters aren't exactly sure about sitting on Santa's lap, but Mrs. Claus can usually get those criers, but the interesting thing is we've never had a runner, meaning as nervous as they might be, they've never run away and run down the train, we have to chase after them. The other thing is, again, Santa's going natural again this year, been working on his beard for the last two months, and should you see him, he looks a little scruffy, but he's working on it. And we have to thank our partners at the Finger Lakes Railway, I mean, they've worked so hard over the years, their people come out and do this, and it's like clockwork, the trains take off exactly when they're supposed to and everyone has a great time. You know, a little shout-out to the railroad there, Bruce Haberfield, who works with us from the railroad, he was recognized this year by the Rotary by giving him a Paul Harris Fellow, and I'll say this, Bruce was overwhelmed by that. And it just goes to show his heart's in with the railroad and Santa Claus and the good will that it does.
Santa Claus: So again, the Rotary Santa Train Express is Saturday, December 7th, the trains board in downtown Geneva right near the Public Safety Building, just right across from the Lakefront Visitor Center. Trains leave at 10, 1130, 1, 230, and 4, you start boarding 15 minutes before, there's good signage there so you know right where to go and everything. Tickets are $25, and again, this year they're available directly on the Rotary Club website. Go to GenevaRotaryClub.org, click the Santa Train link.
Paul Szmal: So remind people about this is one of the major fundraisers of the club, and some of the things this money goes to, including grants to local charities.
Santa Claus: Well, the Santa Train originally was never a big fundraiser, but it made enough money to pay our share, Geneva Rotary's share, towards Camp Anciala, which is the camp for handicapped, well I don't want to say handicapped, for special needs children, and it lasts two weeks in the late summer. And we should just jump in, I just want to point out too that, because we had a presentation just a couple of weeks back, that Camp Whitman is now hosting that now that Babcock Covey is not in operation.
Paul Szmal: That is correct, it's also a great project. I've gone there a few times, and seeing those kids having two weeks of, you know, where they're out in the woods having a great time, and they go year after year, so they're there looking forward to seeing their friends from the various counties represented by Camp Anciala. Now that it's turned into a bigger fundraiser, the Santa Train helps to pay for, well, we have various concerts at the Smith Opera House for kids, grants for the Boys and Girls Club, you name it, any charity that are not-for-profit in Geneva that deals with youth, the Geneva Rotary makes about $15,000 to $16,000 a year, and we hand that funds back in the form of grants. So anything we raise goes back to our own community. So again, it's GenevaRotaryClub.org, and by the way, that's what we'll show you when we meet. Now, one meeting a month is an evening meeting, so next Wednesday's meeting is an evening meeting at 6 o'clock at Dana's Time Out, usually it's 12 noon on Wednesdays at Dana's, and we have great presentations. We had a presentation from the League of Women Voters at yesterday's meeting. So get your tickets for the train, because they do go very fast, especially those more popular ones. Saturday, December 7th.
Santa Claus: Ted, ho, ho, ho, and you'll be on the good list again this year.
Paul Szmal: Santa thanks, and tell Dave Cook hello, and thanks for bringing us up to date on this fun project for the community.
