Weir Community Christmas: The U-Haul Santa Claus
CANTON – Santa Claus arrived at Leshdale Homes shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday — in a 15-foot-long U-Haul truck.
"OK, spread out," Tracey Weir directed her all-female crew of helpers.
They began to knock on doors throughout the complex of 62 Stark County Metropolitan Housing Authority duplexes. The invitation was simple: "Weir Community Christmas; we're passing out gifts in the circle."
And it was open to all — children and adults..
For free.
"This actually came to me as a vision from God," the 57-year-old Weir explained. "The vision was to go out in the community and spread love ... but I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to do it."
She asked her dad, James Weir.
The Weir Community Christmas was born three years ago. The premise is to collect donations of gifts and money all year, gift-wrap, sort and store all of it along the way, then pass it out for Christmas.
"We like the element of surprise," Tracey Weir said.
Leshdale was the first of five unannounced, non-promoted stops planned in the area on Saturday. At each location, with a police escort, she parks the U-Haul for 45 minutes to give residents enough time to visit.
After word spread at Leshdale, a steady stream of people showed up.
Ground coordinator Gail Weatherspoon ushered them through. She shouted directions to Courtney Williams, Tracey Weir's daughter, who was inside the back of the truck with the gifts, all sorted by age.
"Courtney, we need an adult male; two adult males while you're at it ... a 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter, too!" she said.
The wrapped gifts contained everything from toy trucks and baby dolls, to perfume and cologne. It's all topped off with bags full of candy and candy canes. Several private donors and Sherrick Road Church of God were among the most generous behind-the-scenes assistants.
"I grew up in this neighborhood," Tracey Weir said.
She knows too many people need help.
People like Robin Jones, a longtime public housing resident. She's 44 years old and without a job. She has four adult children and seven great-grandchildren. Tracey Weir selected Jones as the one person who will get extras this year — a turkey, ham and whatever else she needs for a proper Christmas feast.
"I didn't even know about that until today," Jones said, as she carried an arm full of gifts to her home.
Tracey Weir's dad was there the first year when they handed out 724 gifts. And he was there last year, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when they didn't keep count. He also helped create a mission statement: "Christmas to us is about the love God had for the world by gifting his son to us. And as God loves us, we are commanded to love one another. And this is our way of showing love."
But James Weir died at age 90 in January. Still, he was along for the ride Saturday in more ways than one.
Tracey Weir wore a locket, containing a photo of her dad, around her neck. And the U-Haul passenger seat wasn't vacant — her dad's red "Weir Community Christmas" t-shirt was snugly fit on the back of it.
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or
tim.botos@cantonrep.com.
On Twitter: @tbotosREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Free gifts to those in need is the Weir family's way of spreading joy
