GENEROSITY AGAIN MAKES TOYBOX A SUCCESS; SANTAS DELIVER TOYS TO FAMILIES IN CAPE GIRARDEAU

Courtney Mayberry knew that Santa Claus came from the North Pole because all the presents he brought to her house Tuesday night were cold.

"They feel cold," she said. "Where did you get these?"

Santa Claus, aka Mike Leimer, said all the gifts came from the North Pole. "It's cold outside but it's frigid there."

Leimer and Courtney, who turns 8 on Sunday, posed for a picture together before Santa left on another delivery for Toybox.

"Make sure to go to the girl across the street," Courtney advised as he walked out the door.

Nineteen Santas delivered thousands of toys to children in Cape Girardeau Tuesday as part of Toybox. The program is a joint effort of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian that brings gifts to needy families.

Thousands of dollars worth of toys were donated by civic clubs, church organizations, businesses and individuals for Toybox, which marked its 25th year.

"The community has been very generous," said Michelle Bir, a Jaycee member who does much of the shopping for the program. "The schools were generous and made some stockings for us to deliver."

The vans used for delivery also were donated by area businesses.

Adding up all the donations and help Toybox receives each year is a daunting task, considering how many people help make the program work.

When Toybox keeps asking for toys and donations prior to the Christmas holiday, it's because we need that much to make the program work, said Kim McDowell, Toybox coordinator at the Southeast Missourian.

Jaycees try to make sure that every child receives about $50 worth of toys and games, said Mike Seabaugh, Toybox coordinator. With 425 families applying for gifts from Toybox that comes to nearly $100,000 in donations.

Leimer has been a Santa Claus on delivery night for about six years now, so he knows there are plenty of families who need help at Christmas.

It might seem like a lot of pressure to remember every child's name or the answer to why the reindeer didn't come with Santa, but those things pale in comparison to the joy Leimer sees on a child's face.

"It's about the face on the kids when they see Santa and their eyes are big," he said.

Another Santa, aka Kevin Lasher, agreed. "You don't get that many chances to give things away," he said, "especially at Christmas. It's an amazing thing to see the joy in their eyes."

It took Lasher about five years to work up enough courage to play the role of Santa, but he and his wife, Elaine, have been delivering toys for 15 years.

"It gets easier," Elaine Lasher said. "You can tell that they really need it."

Some houses have no furniture, and the gifts from Toybox are the only the children will receive at Christmas.

Ulonda Winford was thankful for the gifts Santa brought for her 3-year-old son, D'Andre. Although he wasn't home to see Santa, Winford said she got "just as much of a kick out of it" than he would have. D'Andre had left on a shopping trip with his grandmother earlier in the evening.

Most of D'Andre's gifts would be opened on Christmas day. Without Toybox there would have been little for the child, said Arnold James. "Just look at our tree."

But bare trees or none at all, Santa left toys all across the city.

Many children were peeking from behind curtains, checking to see just when Santa Claus would arrive.

Felicia Bell, 8, ran out the door and called out Santa's name as soon as she saw him. Her mother had just told her that Santa would be coming. "How did you know?" she asked.

Santa, of course, always knows who's been good or bad.

"Can I come with you?" she asked.