Tony Sullivan and Bob Presland, aka the Saltwater Santas, have done it again. The pair, along with Tony’s wife Jocelyne, have managed to raise another $28,000 for local charities through Sullivan’s Sugar Creek Way Christmas display.

Sullivan began collecting donations from motorists and passersby during the first weekend in December and was outside every night until Jan. 1. He was often joined by Presland and on the busier nights by a long list of helpers all of whom are in their 60s.

The amount they raised is far in excess of the $16,000 they raised last year.

“It’s unbelievable how it all turned out,” says Sullivan. “We collected $12,000 on the final weekend alone.”

As in past years, the Saltwater Santas handed out candy canes and small chocolates to anyone who made a donation. When all was said and done, they had gone through 70 bags of Costco chocolates that contain 300 pieces each. That’s a total of 21,000 chocolates.

The vast majority of the donations were individual $5 bills. In fact, they collected over $9,000 in $5 bills alone, along with $10s and $20s and and even the odd $100 bill.

They also took in a pile of loonies and toonies which Jocelyne’s brother volunteered to roll almost every day before taking them to the bank.

But the best part about the Saltwater Santas’ fundraising effort is being able to distribute the money to the various charitable organizations afterwards.

This year they handed out 11 cheques ranging in amounts from $10,000, which went to the Ottawa Food Bank, to $1,000 for a variety of different recipients. The complete list is as follows:

• Ottawa Food Bank $10,000
• Ottawa Mission $4,000
• Cornerstone Women’s Shelter $4,000
• Orleans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre $2,000
• Shepherds of Good Hope $2,000
• Ottawa Boys and Girls Club $1,000
• The Salvation Army $1,000
• Gatineau Food Bank $1,000
• CHEO $1,000
• Canadian Cancer Society $1,000
• Ottawa Heart Institute $1,000

The Cornerstone Women’s Shelter was especially appreciative of the amount they received.

“At first the man didn’t open the envelope. So I asked him, ‘Aren’t you going to look inside?’. So finally he did and he was kind of shocked. I don’t think he was expecting $4,000,” recalls Sullivan

All told, the Saltwater Santas have raised over $61,000 for local charities in the past three years – a number that even Sullivan finds hard to believe.

“I just can’t get over how generous people can be. It’s been overwhelming” says Sullivan.

Some people came from as far aways as Cornwall. A good part of the reason for the Saltwater Santas success this year is their appearance on the CTV Morning Ottawa which picked up the story from the Orléans Star.

The name “Saltwater Santas” comes from the fact that Sullivan and Preslund are both originally from Newfoundland. They met during a Canada Post hockey tournament and they’ve been fast friends ever since. (They’re also both former “posties” having worked for Canada Post.)

The Salt Water Santas were helped out this year by Linda, Louise, Geneviève, Marc, Andrew, James, Nancy, Robin, Carol, Guy, Edwina, Roch, Ashley, Glen, Raquel, Luca, Margie, Jessica, Andy and Bob..