Salem’s Naughty Santa Claus is back for another year, this time to raise funds for a local volunteer organization.
Courtesy of Larry Wills
Bob Rotanz, owner of Mac and Bob's, poses for his Naughty Santa Claus photo.
If you’ve taken a drive through Salem recently, you might have spotted a cheery man in a red suit sporting sunglasses, riding around on an ElliptiGO bike and waving at passersby. Larry Wills, affectionately known as Naughty Santa Claus around the holidays, has become somewhat of a local celebrity. But the reasoning behind starting this yearly tradition is a deeply personal one.
Courtesy of Larry Wills
Larry's brother, Bob Wills, serves as the inspiration behind all things Naughty Santa Claus.
“My brother [Bob Wills] had two massive strokes,” explains Larry. “With COVID, it had gotten to where we couldn’t go and see him.” To lift his brother’s spirits and to help him feel more connected when apart from his family, Larry decided to don a Santa Claus suit and set up a nomination system where in exchange for a $5 donation, people could request that he show up at a nominee’s work or house, where he would hand them a piece of coal, give them a “Naughty” Santa hat to wear and take a photo with them. He also started hanging out on various street corners in Salem to shout holiday greetings, bringing smiles to the faces of those who spotted him. During their frequent Facetime calls, Larry would always show Bob the photos he took with members of the community each week.
“He loved Christmas,” Wills says of his brother, so much so that the family left all of their decorations up long after the holidays came to an end just so Bob could experience one of the best parts of his favorite time of year every day until his passing.
To this day, Larry tags his brother in each and every Naughty Santa Claus photo he posts on Facebook as a way to honor Bob’s enthusiasm for the holiday season. The proceeds from Larry’s fundraising endeavors – over $50,000 dollars to date – have gone straight to one of Bob’s favorite charities, Toys for Tots.
Courtesy of Larry Wills
Larry (and his festive ElliptiGO bike!) spreading Christmas cheer.
Due to this one-man show being a lot to juggle on top of his full-time job and time spent visiting special needs children as Santa Claus, Larry considered retiring from fulfilling nominations this year. But longtime friend Trey Gregory says it’s Larry’s “generous heart [that] brought him back for more” again this year, this time on a local scale.
All donations from this year’s Naughty Santa Claus fundraiser will benefit Domestic Abuse Disruption (D.A.D.), a Roanoke-based, all-volunteer group co-founded by Gregory, a former police officer, that assists people who are in intimate partner abuse and violence situations. The group fills in the gaps in the system by escorting individuals to and from court proceedings, providing guidance throughout the protective order process, conducting danger and lethality assessments and have even assisted with relocation needs. “The goal is to eliminate the fear and intimidation that comes from feeling you are facing it all alone,” says Gregory. D.A.D. also hosts self-defense classes that, just like all of their other services, are completely free of charge.
Wills says he hopes to raise at least $5,000 for the organization, and with the community rallying behind him, eager to support D.A.D’s cause, it looks like he's well on his way to meeting (if not surpassing!) his goal. “As soon as we announced that we were going to come back and do it again this year, we started getting calls right away,” says Wills. “This year, it’s even more special because I’m helping not only a good organization, but I’m helping a friend of mine.”
Gregory says the D.A.D. team couldn’t be more grateful to Wills for working on their behalf to raise funds so they can keep doing critical work within our community. “It’s certainly a great feeling of hope to have finishing out this year.”
Courtesy of Trey Gregory
Gregory instructing attendees at a self-defense class.
The fundraiser ends on December 15, so send Larry Wills a message on Facebook to nominate someone in your life who could use a little extra Christmas cheer. Learn more about Domestic Abuse Disruption on their Facebook page and donate directly to the group on Venmo (@DAD-Disruption-03), CashApp, ($Disruption03DAD), by direct deposit to Domestic Abuse Disruption Inc. at any American National Bank or by mail at 2032 Wynmere Drive, Roanoke, VA, 24018. If your donation is associated with the Naughty Santa Claus fundraiser, be sure to let Larry know so he can add your contribution to the final tally.