‘Two front teeth and a spitball gun’: Santa fields requests at WCC
Volunteering as Santa around Wiscasset this Christmastime and Christmases past, Dave Sawyer has marveled at the kindness in children’s requests.
Many children ask for something for a sibling, and last year one wished for her mom and dad to get back together.
“That was heartbreaking.”
Then there are the humorful requests, like some the masons’ Lincoln Lodge of Wiscasset member got Saturday at Parks and Recreation’s Breakfast with Santa, in Wiscasset Community Center’s Senior Center. “I’ve got two things I want,” Spencer Lilly, 6, said. Sitting on Santa’s knee, the Richmond boy pushed his right hand through his shirt sleeve, held up two fingers, then raised them to his mouth to show Santa. “My two front teeth, and a toilet paper sheet spitball gun.”
“Ho, ho, nice! You’re my kinda guy,” Santa answered. “How ‘bout a candy cane?” Santa reached down to a basket of them.
Another sweet for Lilly was the syrup on his pancakes and sausage. Nearing the end of his breakfast that also had an egg, he said: “The food was so great!” And it was nice not having to cook that morning, two other family members, Jonathan and Chrissy Doray of Dresden said. They have a big family and spend a lot of meals and other time together, including the Breakfast with Santa tradition.
Jonathan snapped pictures as other relatives smiled and called toward his and Chrissy’s granddaughters Rhyleigh-Ann Moore, 11 months, of Dresden and Elizabeth Doray, 9 months, of Richmond. The cousins were meeting with Santa. “Hey,” Jonathan said. Then he quacked a single quack and smiled their way as he raised the camera to his eye once more.
Woolwich’s Ashley and Chip Preble brought son Clayton, 2. “He was a little young for Santa last year. But this year, he’s all in,” his mother said.
So was Dresden’s Sami Teas, 7. Teas brought Santa a letter. “I knew right where you were, but thanks for putting your address on there,” Santa told Teas. Teas went back to Santa minutes later, then reported back to mother Ann Teas, Santa would like them to leave him chocolate chip cookies.
As for the letter, Ann said it wasn’t the first, and she didn’t help, except to provide the pen and paper.
In the kitchen, WCC staff members Bonnie Blagdon and Chelsea Taylor were serving attendees and Parks and Recreation Director Duane Goud was washing silverware. This was his first holiday events season in the job. “I’m really enjoying it actually. I think it’s a great time of year for all the families,” he said later in the breakfast. “I think everything has gone really well” and, with Winterfest coming up mid-winter, “I’m encouraged to see how big that event can be,” he added.
It has also been a busy season for Sawyer as Santa at more events than ever. He donned the suit for Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest and, hours after Ames True Value Supply’s Christmas Extravaganza Dec. 7, the town tree-lighting. Sawyer recalled “Santa was a little tired” after meeting with 230 children at Ames, then getting a Wiscasset fire truck ride to the common. But Santa persevered for the children at the tree-lighting, he said.
