Santas Anonymous
Encyclopedia
Santas Anonymous is an annual campaign 'devoted to bettering the lives of children in our community by delivering the "spirit" of Christmas to less fortunate children' in Edmonton
, Alberta
, Canada
. It is sponsored by Edmonton's 630 CHED radio station in coordination with the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton.
Santas Anonymous began in 1955
when CHED radio general manager Jerry Forbes learned there were many children in Edmonton "who simply went without a gift during the Christmas season." When Forbes was asked why he started Santas Anonymous, he said
From a few thousand children in 1955, the charity has grown to over 25,000 children. The program owes its success to hundreds of volunteers who wrap and deliver toys, and the generosity of thousands of Edmontonians who drop new, unwrapped toys off at collection sites located throughout the Edmonton area.
The Edmonton based Santas Anonymous should not be confused with the student run campaign Father Mercredi Santas (Also known as Santas Anonymous), which is run by students in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is sponsored by Edmonton's 630 CHED radio station in coordination with the Christmas Bureau of Edmonton.
Santas Anonymous began in 1955
1955 in Canada
-Incumbents:*Monarch: Elizabeth II*Governor General: Vincent Massey*Prime Minister: Louis Saint Laurent*Premier of Alberta: Ernest Manning*Premier of British Columbia: W.A.C...
when CHED radio general manager Jerry Forbes learned there were many children in Edmonton "who simply went without a gift during the Christmas season." When Forbes was asked why he started Santas Anonymous, he said
From a few thousand children in 1955, the charity has grown to over 25,000 children. The program owes its success to hundreds of volunteers who wrap and deliver toys, and the generosity of thousands of Edmontonians who drop new, unwrapped toys off at collection sites located throughout the Edmonton area.
The Edmonton based Santas Anonymous should not be confused with the student run campaign Father Mercredi Santas (Also known as Santas Anonymous), which is run by students in Fort McMurray, Alberta.