thirty years visiting hospitals and shelters dressed as Santa Claus throughout each holiday season.
Paul and his wife of 35 years, Sandy, have lived in their Arcadia home since 1981. Paul has lived in Phoenix since he moved here from Indiana at the age of 12, but Sandy is the true long time Arcadian. The couple live in the same house where she was raised and later graduated from Arcadia High. Sandy’s parents bought the Arcadia home in the spring of 1961. Twenty years later, Paul and Sandy bought the house from her mother and invited her to live with them. Says Paul, “I think the Arcadia area is the most convenient place to live in the valley, the schools are very good, my church is six blocks away, and my neighbors in the Arcadia Corners Neighborhood Association are terrific.” The couple have two daughters, Mindy and Tanja, who attended Tavan and Ingleside before graduating from their mother’s alma mater Arcadia High. Sandy was a senior at Arcadia when she met Paul, an ASU freshman, at the old Eastside Church of the Nazarene. Paul then dropped out of college to join the Marines in 1968. “When I came home from Viet Nam, we became engaged and married in August of 1970. We continue living for each other after 36 years,” he smiles.
Two years later, Paul began playing Santa for their church’s Christmas party. He got so much into the role that he started a business called Santa Claus and Company in 1972, even growing a real beard several years later. His company has grown significantly since then, and currently employs 11 Santas; all with real beards themselves. Paul says one has to become Santa in mind, heart and body, and although his employees do earn extra money being Santa or his elves during the holidays, he knows most of them do it for the love of being Santa.
Paul has played Santa for local sports teams such as the Suns and Coyotes organizations for their Christmas parties. But also says Clifford McCurdy, who refers to himself as the tallest elf of the company, “Paul does so much good work for people, visiting homeless moms with kids at shelters and children at the county hospital. He even goes into the critical care unit all masked and gowned. You should see the kids’ eyes light up to know that Santa hadn’t forgotten them even thought they’re in the hospital.” Clifford says he especially likes the fact that many families that hire them to visit their home as Santa have done so throughout generations. “We have grandparents who hired us to visit their kids and are now calling us to visit their grandchildren.”
During the rest of the year, Paul has worked as a substitute teacher throughout the Scottsdale School District. His time as a substitute teacher was a blessing, says Paul, “because I love kids and they all called me Santa. They even see me once in a while now and still call me Santa.”
Our Arcadia Santa is not only a member of the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, but more importantly was recently asked to serve on the board of Santa America, Inc., which is a national charity outreach organization.
“Santa is all about giving and if you don’t give, you just aren’t Santa,” says Paul, who embodies the best of both Arcadia and the holiday spirit that makes this time of year so special.
E-mail Tracy at: tracywerth@cox.net.
Check out last
month's people profile |
