SYRACUSE — When Pamela Robinson heard about what happened to the Mathis family, she said she felt "sick inside."
It happened in October during a camping trip — Mike and Amie Mathis and their three children were badly burned after a leaking propane tank caused an explosion in their R.V. All five of them sustained second-degree burns.
More than two months later, the Mathis family is still recovering from their injuries. Mike Mathis, Robinson said, still can't work.
"To watch your children suffer like that would be so hard," she said.
That's why Robinson and her family, old family friends of the Mathis family, decided they should do something special for the Mathises — and spread some Christmas cheer.
Robinson and her daughters held a bake sale at their Syracuse home to help raise money for the family. Robinson's husband, Verlan, donned a red suit so parents could bring their kids to take pictures with Santa.
"We just figured this would be a good way to help a family that's really in need," Robinson said.
As word spread about the fundraiser — through Facebook postings and fliers in restaurants — Robinson said everyone from neighbors to strangers showed up. Donations weren't required for pictures with Santa, but they were encouraged,
Robinson said she didn't know how much she had raised so far on Saturday, but she was grateful for any amount.
"I'm elated. They're a great family," she said. "(Mike) is just so full of love, and he loves his family so much. It's because of him that all of them made it out of that fire."
To Robinson, "toys aren't the meaning of Christmas;" family and service is.
"It's a great cause," she said. "Maybe from now on, we'll look for somebody to do this for every year."
In addition to the Robinson gathering Saturday, a GoFundMe account for the Mathis family has raised more than $20,000.