NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Santa, Elsa, Frosty and friends took to the Spruce Elementary neighborhood in North Tonawanda Monday night collecting canned goods and products for the North Tonawanda Food Bank.
"We had a couple of friends with a great idea and we wanted to make it come to life, so what better way than making a Christmas float and going out and collecting things for the community?" friends that played Yukon Cornelius and Rudolph said.
For the last six years, Santa and his friends have paid a visit to N.T. on their X-mas trailer.
"If they get too many things on their shelves they disperse it to other food pantries in the area, so we really hit a lot of other communities we don't go to," Yukon and Rudolph said.
Each year is a new theme. This year there was a slide for kids to enjoy.
"Every year it gets bigger and better. Every year we try to think of a new idea. Something the kids can enjoy," they said.
Last year, the group collected more than 19,000 items and $360 for the cause.
"It's just the neighbors going to neighbors. Everyone having parties and donating and we just ask for a couple things and the community has been awesome," they added.
This year they're hoping to gather even more items that last year as Monday is the group's last stop of the 2019 holiday season. Before Monday night, they collected 13,975 items.
"It's all about spreading the Christmas cheer. The smile on every kid's face, that's why we do it," friends playing Jack Frost and Frosty said.
