Patients at the Children's Hospital of Illinois get a visit from Santa. This is the 15th year Bill Turney, in his role as Santa, drops off toys he, his family and friends have donated to the effort.
Turney says his labor of love started this way, "A message from church about doing something personal for somebody and all I had was football cards."
"Then I read in a magazine the hospital likes to get those at Christmas. So, one day I came over and didn't tell anyone I was coming and started handing them out," Turney continues. "It took off from there."
Turney says the reaction he gets from the kids make it worthwhile. "They smile and I cry," says Turney.
Turney says the effort is a tribute to a son who died 24 years ago at the age of 17 months and his mother, Jewell, who passed away in October.
Turney delivered $10,000 worth of toys to the Children's Hospital Friday.
Also, students from Quest Charter Academy were on hand to present 52 fleece blankets they made for patients at the Children's Hospital age 3 and younger.
State Representative Dave Leitch of Peoria donated $100 to help the students' effort. "For these students to be able to do things to help other people at Christmas reinforces the Christmas spirit," says Leitch.
