December 8, 2005 | Read Time: 1 minute
Thousands of volunteer Santas will come together in Edinburgh on December 11 for the second annual 1.2-mile Santa Run to raise money for When You Wish Upon a Star, a British charity that serves children with terminal and life-threatening illnesses.
Last year’s race attracted 3,445 runners dressed in Santa costumes, breaking the previous world record of 2,685 Santas in one place, which was set by a town in Sweden, according to Guinness World Records. This year the charity is holding three Santa Runs in different parts of Britain and hopes to top last year’s attendance at the Edinburgh run by attracting 4,000 Santas.
Each volunteer St. Nick pays £10 (approximately $17.25) to register, which covers the cost of the red suits the charity rents for the runners.
Additionally, the volunteers help raise money by asking their friends and relatives to contribute to the charity. Last year, the organization raised more than $2.2-million to help grant wishes to 1,000 children.
The 2004 race brought in more money than any of the charity’s other special events, outpacing golf games, carnivals, and online appeals, and is expected to generate the same amount this month. The group’s fund raising has allowed it to grant more than 12,000 wishes since the charity was incorporated in 1990.
“Our most popular wish is Disney, whether in Paris or Florida,” says Margaret Rowarth, coordinator of the Santa Run for When You Wish Upon a Star. The charity also arranges trips to Lapland so that children may meet the official Santa Claus; 400 children were able to travel there with some of the money raised during the last run.
Other popular wishes the group has granted: helping youngsters meet favorite celebrities and sports stars and paying for them to go to New York.
