Videos produced by Multimedia Editor Serafina King Frederick / Dylan Mathewson, 4, and his 2-year-old brother, Tyler, accompanied by their grandmother, Denise Datillio, meet Santa on Saturday during the Florida East Coast Railway's annual Toys for Tots trek from Jacksonville to Miami with stops along the way, including the one here mid-morning in New Smyrna Beach. Below, James Hertwig, president of FEC, and dressed as Santa, poses with 6-year-old Nakya Jones of New Smyrna Beach and countless other children.
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NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Six-year-old Nakya Jones is wise enough to know the real Santa Claus rides a sleigh whrn he coms to town. The so-called Santa she saw Saturday came to town in a train.
"I know he isn't the real one because that's not what Santa looks like and he doesn't have any reindeers," the New Smyrna Beach girl said, after sitting on Santa'a lap and receiving a small stuffed teddy bear, with her grandma taking pictures for the special occasion.
And the little girl was right. This Santa is really Florida East Coast Railway President James Hertwig, who along with wife, Debbie, and several of his employees, served as volunteers in delivering Toys for Tots presents for several thousand children during a daylong trek Saturday from Jacksonville to Miami, with stops along the way, including St. Augustine, New Smyrna Beach, City Point, Fort Pierce, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale.
Don and Kim Sullivan, who live on the beachside, brought their granddaughters Marli, 7, and Reese, 4, both wearing candy cane-colored dresses for the occasion.
This is awesome," the grandfather said.
Headline Surfer photos by Henry Frederick / Marli Sullivan, 7, sits on Santa's lap while kid sister, Reese, 4, sits with Santa's wife, in matching candy cane dresses while grandparents Don and Kim Sullivan who live on the beachside, snapped as many photos as they could. Though toys were delivered for needy children throughout Southeast Volusia, every child who wanted to see Santa got the chance and a teddy bear, too. The Toys for Tots presents were loaded into a truck as shown here by a host of volunteers for delivery near Christmas by volunteers with the Edgewater-based Gifts of Love program while Santa entertained the little ones.
The Sullivans were among a few hundred people -- adults and children alike -- who attended the mid-morning whistle stop near the railroad crossing on West Canal Street just west of U.S. 1.
It was here where hundreds of toys were unloaded from the train and into a large truck by volunteers from the Edgewater-based Gifts of Love who will distribute the Toys for Tots presents to needy children throughout Southeast Volusia.
It was here where hundreds of toys were unloaded from the train and into a large truck by volunteers from the Edgewater-based Gifts of Love who will distribute the Toys for Tots presents to needy children throughout Southeast Volusia.
The train stop program is promoted locally by Flare Elliott, a Canal Street merchant, who took countless photos of little ones with Santa.
"Aren't they all so precious?" Elliott asked rhetorically. The only public officials Headline Surfer ran across during the event were Parks and Recreation Director Liz Yancey and Interim Police Chief Michael Brouillette with his wife and small children.
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DJ Big Tom entertains the crowd with holiday tunes while Santa does his thing at the FEC Toys for Tots train stop in New Smyrna Beach. Santa is really FEC president and CEO James Hertwig and Mrs. Claus is his wife, Debbie.
While volunteers unloaded more than 600 presents presents from the train, Santa played host to the children, ranging from infants to even a few pre-teens, who preferred to stand by Santa's side for a few pictures.
Each of the children received a little stuffed bear while Santa queried little ones who were old enough to understand the question as to what they wanted for Christmas: The younger the child the more simplistic answer like a doll or a toy truck. Those 7 and up were pretty clear on wanting electronics -- games and gadgets to play them on.
Each of the children received a little stuffed bear while Santa queried little ones who were old enough to understand the question as to what they wanted for Christmas: The younger the child the more simplistic answer like a doll or a toy truck. Those 7 and up were pretty clear on wanting electronics -- games and gadgets to play them on.
Among the last children to see Santa before he hopped back on the train for his next stop were Dylan Mathewson, 4, and his brother, Tyler, 2.
Dylan Mathewson, 4, shown at far left, and his 2-year-old kid brother, Tyler, meet Santa.
Their grandmother, Denise Datillio, was frustrated that she couldn't get the camera on her phone to work in the precious time left for shots of the grandkids. But Headline Surfer told the Daytona Beach grandma not to worry as she would have an early Christmas present of her own.
The 24/7 Internet newspaper already had shot video of the boys and informed Datillio their precious time with Santa would be showcased at the top of the story in their own video, which put a big smile on her face.
Sidebar on the FEC railway Santa:
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James Hertwig plays Santa for kids and is president and CEO of Jacksonvile-based Florida East Coast RailwayPrevious Coverage of the Toys for Tots FEC train stop:
Santa leaves reindeers behind; arrives in New Smyrna Beach by train