The town of Wilton has found a unique way to use its absentee ballot box. Now that it’s done with delivering ballots to the polls, the box has acquired the power to transport kids’ letters to the North Pole.
“Me and Santa’s helpers are excited to get these letters to Santa so he knows what kids are interested in for the holidays, which is so fun,” said Sarah Heath, Wilton’s director of social services.
Heath and her husband, Sgt. Anthony Cocco of the Wilton Police Department, wanted to make spirits a little brighter for children in town. Health said she knows that everything has been different for little ones this year, including the holiday season. They wanted to give them something to look forward to.
Not only will Santa receive their letters after they mail them in the rebranded and redecorated box, but he will also write one back. One day after Heath asked for some help to sort through all of his mail, she now has 10 volunteers lined up to be Santa’s helpers.
“It’s a community effort, said Heath. “It’s a way for the spirit of the children to be uplifted. I am a therapist, so I look at things differently -- but also to have a little normalization in their lives. If that is a little bit of Santa, then that’s fabulous.”
The ballot box-turned-mailbox is outside the Wilton police station.
