Back in the days when I was a reporter I remember interviewing this man. Needless to say, I came away impressed. This was a very special man.
The Philadelphia Bulletin writes that this is the first Christmas in 58 years where Santa won’t be writing back to children:
We will feel less glum over the death of Santa if only we recall his joyous life.
You didn’t know? Yes, the man left us this past May, age 86. And though in his own rich imagination as well as ours, he toiled in deep snows of the far north, his workshop all these years had really been right here in Pennsylvania.
Grover Gouker returned to his hometown of Hanover, in south-central Pennsylvania, following his time in the Army during World War II. He took a job in the local Post Office, and for several years he observed that letters addressed to Santa got tossed into a wastebasket.
Why don’t I write back to these kids, he asked, not quite knowing, as he himself would later say, what he was getting into. Soon enough he was granted his wish, a post box for Santa: P.O. Box 188, Hanover, Pa.
So began a correspondence of 58 years, 1950 through 2008, the kids to Santa and Santa back to them. First came letters from children in Hanover, then from neighboring communities, ultimately from the 50 states and even from other countries. Never did a child receive a form letter, and seldom a letter shorter than a full page.
Read the rest here.
December 22, 2009 at 4:49 am
Not all that long ago, we were sent to a Navy base in a land-locked, mountainous state. My daughter sent Santa a letter one year and was overjoyed to receive a hand-written, full-page letter in return. She'd just moved to a new place and missed her friends from the old hometown. Knowing Santa was on her side meant a great deal. Postmaster Clinton, you'll always have a special place in our hearts…and may every Christmas be wonderful for you and yours.
It's old news, but some of the best there is: Saint Nicholas started something special, and his friends through the centuries have helped make his dreams for children come true.
December 22, 2009 at 7:24 am
Saint Nicholous' dream was to save a group of girls from prostitution by paying their wedding price so they could get married, if I remember properly- on a point of fact.
We never believed in Santa in our house- I think I am the one who told my class he didn't exist;0!