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Santa Visits Ruskin, Wimauma Seniors

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By LOIS KINDLE and JOHN CEBALLOS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 22, 2007

A visit from Santa last week lifted the spirits of about 85 seniors at county facilities in Ruskin and Wimauma.

But the two annual events, sponsored by the Hillsborough County Department of Aging Services, couldn't have been more different.

At the Ruskin Senior Center, 50 members of its adult day care and nutrition program applauded as Santa arrived to hand out Christmas stockings, which were donated and filled by the Ruskin Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6287's women's auxiliary.

"It's such a pleasure to be here once again," said Santa, a k a Bill Cheeseman, a retired Hillsborough County firefighter. "It's wonderful seeing people our age out and about doing things together."

As the seniors lined up to receive their stockings, everyone sang Christmas carols.

"I wasn't going to come today, but I came because of Santa," said Irongate resident Carol Israel, 68. "I've been here three times to see him."

"He's a wonderful person," added Hazel Hart, 84, of Riverview. "I appreciate him coming here. It's fun."

"Bill has been coming here the five years I've been here, probably longer," said Lynn Voss, Ruskin Senior Center manager. "He's just wonderful, and his white hair and beard are real. He definitely looks the part."

Earlier in the day, Santa also made his yearly visit to the Wimauma Senior Center.

To honor the memory of Ed Warren, who died in August, members pooled $105 to send Zoey Rawlings, 6, of Riverview to the Masonic Park and Youth Camp next year.

"He loved that little girl, and it's something that he was very passionate about," said Alvisell Pridgen, who knew Warren for seven years. "We thought it would be a good way to pay tribute to him."

Warren, a World War II veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor, was friends with the parents of Zoey's mother, Sheila Rawlings. When Zoey was born with a foot problem, Warren, a member of the Havelock Shrine Club, helped get her treatment at the Shriners Hospital for Children - Tampa.

"He was very generous and, over time, he and Zoey developed a special relationship," Rawlings said. "He remembered her every Christmas and all her birthdays."

Last year, Warren paid for Zoey to spend a few weeks at the Masonic camp, 18050 U.S. 301 S., Wimauma, where he was assistant park manager.

"Zoey had a great time at the camp last time, and Ed decided to pay for her to stay an extra week," Rawlings said.

"Ed was always talking about her and carried pictures of her with him," Pridgen said. "We feel like we knew her before we even met her."

Reporter Lois Kindle can be reached at (813) 865-1553 or lkindle@tampatrib.com. Reporter John Ceballos can be reached at jceballos@tampatrib.com or (813) 865-1555.

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