Yes, Virginia and Tommy and Katie, there is a Santa Claus.

Better make that Santa Clauses, as in hundreds of people who embodied the spirit of giving this year by donating their time, money and supplies to help the less fortunate.Families in need in the areas serviced by the Tamaqua Salvation Army and the Schuylkill-Carbon Marine Corps League Detachment will have a merrier holiday thanks to the generosity of those Santas, not from the North Pole, but local individuals, organizations and businesses.Thursday was distribution day in Tamaqua for the Toys For Tots and the holiday assistance programs (Carbon County's was held last week).Dozens of volunteers were on hand to smooth the distribution process, which ran pretty much like a well-oiled military campaign.Dina Depos and Major Sharon Whispell, organizers for the Salvation Army, said the process hasn't always run so smoothly."We've learned from past glitches," laughed Depos, "But that doesn't mean there won't be any today."Whispell noted the only real issue on Thursday was the "cold, biting wind," as people lined up outside the Salvation Army Community Center more than an hour before distribution was scheduled to begin."It's going well. Our volunteers are doing an amazing job and the families outside are braving that wind for hours at a time," she noted.Thanks to coal region generosity, recipients will not go hungry this Christmas, from breakfast pancakes to a complete ham dinner with potatoes and vegetables and apples for making pies for dessert.More than 350 children will receive presents, courtesy of the Toys For Tots Program and the Angel Tree Program.That's "a lot of Christmas blessings," marvels Depos."This year we've been exceptionally blessed. It's heartwarming to see just how many people are willing to help those in need."