Santa stays up on the rooftop
While Santa’s elves are busy making presents for good boys and girls, the big man himself is in Hickory on a rooftop through Dec. 21 in an effort to rally area citizens to donate toys for boys and girls.
Affordable Cars of Hickory has made a pledge to fill a 48-foot tractor-trailer with new toys for Toys for Tots. Santa is being held hostage on the roof of the business until the tractor-trailer is full or Dec. 21 rolls around, whichever comes first, said Kevin Roberts, general manager of Affordable Cars of Hickory.
“Last year there was a real shortage of toys, so we decided to do this to encourage people to drop toys off for Toys for Tots,” Roberts said. “Santa will be up on the roof 24-7. He has a tent up there to sleep in, and lights up there, and a ceramic heater to stay warm, but that’s it. He comes down occasionally to go to the bathroom and for short breaks, but other than that, he’s on the roof.”
People who want to donate toys for Toys for Tots can bring a new, unwrapped toy to Affordable Cars of Hickory, at 1304 W. Conover Blvd. in Conover and place it in the trailer. If it’s after business hours, Roberts said there’s a box on the porch of the business that people can drop toys off in.
Toys will be collected for children of all ages. However, Roberts said the age group frequently left out when people donate toys are children who are 14 to 16 years old.
For more information or questions, call Roberts at 464-0609.
By Sarah Newell
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