Annapolis Santa Run Prepares for Special Deliveries

More than 700 children from needy families will receive presents thanks to the ninth annual Annapolis Santa Run.

Last week, residents throughout Greater Annapolis  as he pulled into their communities aboard a fire truck.

Santa and his helpers—volunteers from the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County fire departments—gathered all sorts of gifts from those who came out to enjoy hot chocolate, cookies and sing some Christmas carols.

Organizers declared the ninth annual Annapolis Santa Run a success.

That was Dec. 11. A week later, on Sunday, it was time to sort through the hundreds of donated items.

Santa Run organizer John Muhitch said  the group gave gifts to 520 children—lower than usual due to rainy weather.

The group's biggest year was 2009, when it delivered gifts to 734 kids.

About 10 volunteers gathered Sunday at "the North Pole"—an empty office space in Eastport that was donated—and began organizing the items by age group. They then grouped them according to wish lists for each family requesting help.

Muhitch said the Santa Run is working with various charities throughout Greater Annapolis. Those charities provided lists of needy families with their children's ages and interests and the Santa Run volunteers do their best to match them with the donated gifts.

The unwrapped gifts are delivered to the organizations on Monday.

"Those groups will then get them to the families to help make sure everyone at least has a little something under their tree on Christmas," Muhitch said.