LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — All week long the familiar man known to many as "Santa D" camped out along the Columbia Wrightsville Bridge in Lancaster County.
Santa D, also known as Bobby D from the SOX Wake Up Crew on 96.1 SOX, has been doing this for a few years now. Collecting toys for kids in Lancaster and York Counties -- and man did this year pay off!
Surpassing their goal of 7,500 toys, this year they ended with over 9,200 toys and stocking stuffers. They also received over $18,000 in monetary donations.
This is what they were hoping for, Toys For Tots organizers were especially worried this year. With people losing their jobs because of the pandemic -- they knew the need for toys was stronger than ever before.
"A lot of them depend on us for their Christmas and we try to give them the complete package so they don't have to worry about anything for Christmas," said Gil Bixler, Toys for Tots coordinator in Lancaster County.
This was Santa D's sixth year living on the bridge for five full days.
Santa D said, "I saw a bike that was donated here at our event and was loaded up on to our truck and made it to the warehouse, and one lucky dad grabbed that bike. He was there at the right time.... and the smile on his face made it all worth while."