news-record.com

GREENSBORO — Jac Grimes  doesn’t just play Santa Claus at Christmas. He plays him all year round.

In a way, he has no choice — even when he’s not wearing the red costume, he still looks the part.

But the Jamestown man also acts like Santa, handing out fast- food gift cards to the homeless and spending time visiting sick kids.

Grimes, who also drives an activity bus for Guilford County Schools, takes his Santa job seriously.

“I think a lot of people think you just put on a red suit and show up. But kids are smart,” he said. “You’ve got to know the reindeer’s names without any hesitation. You’ve got to know where is Rudolph and where is Mrs. Claus. There’s just a myriad of questions kids will ask.”

He tends, naturally, to stay busiest around Christmas but also occasionally does events during the rest of the year, even in summer.

Grimes, 55 , also is well-known as a volunteer with Kids Path, which serves children who are dealing with grief or with life-threatening illnesses.

“He has a natural instinct for children,” said Laura Hunt , director of marketing for Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, which runs Kids Path. “He sees the child and not all of the medical supplies.”

Even in the middle of difficult situations, the children respond to Santa, she said, describing the reaction of a very sick girl Grimes had visited.

“Her little face lit up and she just held out her little arms right to him,” Hunt said. “And he sat her right in his lap.”

Grimes said he uses contributions he receives from a men’s group to buy the gift cards, which he hands out to people who are homeless or in need.

“I tell them to have a meal on Santa,” he said.

He also generally likes to spread good cheer, carrying around little gifts such as stickers or candy canes to give to children.

That’s not infrequent, as he tends to get recognized wherever he goes.

“There’s just no hiding from it,” Grimes said. “If I go out in a red shirt, I just get mobbed.”

But the thing is, he explains, it’s worth it to see a kid’s face light up.

“I can have a tough day,” he said.

“One kid can turn that around.”

Contact Jason Hardin at 373-7021 or at jason.hardin@news-record.com