To the editor:

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped us bring the Bristol Santa House to our community this holiday season.

The overwhelming support we received was nothing less than incredible — everyone from our Town officials to our police, fire, emergency services, and public works departments to local merchants and businesses. Thank you so much!

I also want to thank our board members and volunteers. Bringing the Santa House to Bristol was a lot of work, and we could not have done it without your hard work and dedication. Thank you for believing in me!

Lastly, I want to thank all our donors and sponsors for their caring and giving hearts. I am eternally grateful for your financial support and in-kind contributions, without which the Bristol Santa House would not have been possible. A list of our sponsors can be viewed online at: www.jdrfoundation.org/our-supporters.

Our primary mission for the Bristol Santa House is to create cherished and lasting memories for children and their families, free of charge, but especially for children with special needs. It took a while for many people to understand what we were trying to achieve with the Santa House. But I believe now, if you ask the families and any of our volunteers, they would all agree we accomplished our mission. With everyone's help, we brought smiles (and even a few tears of joy) to hundreds of families this year.

In the short time between Nov. 26 and Dec. 22, Santa Claus and his helpers greeted thousands of visitors in the Bristol Santa House. Our guest book includes names from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and several other States, including Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Florida.

Our wish is to be able to bring the Santa House back again next year, with the goal of making it an annual destination at a permanent location in town.

If you had the opportunity to experience the Santa House for yourself, we would love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us at www.jdrfoundation.org.

Michael J. Rielly
Founder and Chief Merriment Officer
James D. Rielly Foundation