SALT LAKE CITY — They call him “Steampunk Santa."
Salt Lake resident Fred Lane has traded in the conventional Santa suit for a more industrial look. He may look a little different, but this Santa Claus will be continuing the tradition of making children smile this Christmas by delivering gifts just for them.
Lane has played the part of the jolly old elf at dozens of events this holiday season. But the one he says he's most looking forward to is Soul Food USA's annual Christmas Chili Night for the Homeless on Sunday, Dec. 18.
To prepare for the event, Lane collected nearly 500 teddy bears to hand out to homeless children who will be attending. The bears were donated in bulk from stores, which is why most of them look alike.
“That might not work," Lane said. "Imagine a child getting the same bear as another one at the shelter. They could fight over it or even get them mixed up.”
A group of volunteers decided to customize the bears by sewing on bows, and cutting out scarves and hats from donated material.
“We’re trying to make each of them have a different design so that the kids can have their personal bear,” volunteer Molly Newell said.
Newell made each of the plush toys she worked on Wednesday night unique by thinking of the soon-to-be recipients.
“I imagine the faces of the children when they are going to get it,” Newell said. “It might be one of the only bears they have.”
Lane is a regular volunteer at Salt Lake’s downtown shelters.
“The thing that really touches me is when I see the children there, and I have to say, ‘What did they do to get here?’ They were just unlucky,” he said. “And yet they deserve better and they deserve more, and we have a community … that can come together and to give them that.”
Lane said he expects around 250 children to show up at the event.
"We set up between the Road Home and St. Vincent de Paul," he said. "They just come down the line and they get chili, and we have hygiene kits, we have clothes and socks and coats."
And then the children get a gift from Santa.
"Last year, Santa Claus gave them candy canes," Lane said. "And this year, they said, 'Why don’t we see about getting teddy bears?'"
Lane plans to donate the rest of the bears to other homeless or needy children in the Salt Lake Valley.