Who Is That Masked Man?

He’s Southbury's own “Mr. Santa,” Ed Wildman, standing with some of the many toys bought by his generous donation to this year’s Southbury Needy Fund Holiday Giving.

All year round, Ed collects bottles and cans to recycle, and saves up the proceeds in a special account that he and his wife have made, to buy toys for the children on the Needy Fund list every year.

Ed’s generous spirit has inspired fellow townsfolk and local merchants alike to join his “Secret Santa” mission, collecting up their returnables and bringing them to Ed to turn into gifts of warmth and cheer. With the help of about 20 “regulars,” along with some new folks every year, plus ten or more local businesses joining in, Ed and his wife donated $1000 this year -- a tribute to what we all can do together with something as simple and humble as saving up our bottles and cans.

Ed’s collecting mission started simply. "I knew about the Southbury Needy Fund pretty much from the beginning," he says. He pitched in every year to the Southbury Police Department's annual Toy Drive, filling as many as four shopping carts with toys bought from his own pocket.

But he wanted to do more. What better way than to augment his own toy purchases with funds saved up from bottle deposits? And so a tradition was born. And with it, the special account that Ed and his wife have set up: gradually building a reserve that allows them to give so generously every year. Their donation not only helps with holiday purchases for struggling families, but also strengthens the Needy Fund's resources to help folks with emergency expenses year round.

This year has been extraordinarily difficult for everyone, but it hasn’t stopped the generosity of “Mr. Santa,” nor of the countless others who have pitched in -- through the year and at this holiday -- to make sure that all in our town are able to share in the warmth and cheer of this season.

If you would like to help the children of today with warm clothes and toys, and the children of tomorrow by recycling for a clean and beautiful earth, Ed welcomes you to bring him your bottles and cans, washed clean, and neatly bagged. You can give him a call at (203) 264-3084, or even leave them on his front porch.

Wishing health and happiness to all - in the Holidays and throughout the year!

The Southbury Needy Fund, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, operates on a year-round basis helping Southbury residents when there are no other resources available.
Many many thanks to everyone who made this year’s Holiday Giving and Toy Drive a success. For more information, and ways to participate, please visit our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/sbyneedy/ or contact Sharon Lieber at sbyneedy@gmail.com (203) 264-8743.