As Santa’s special helper, Joe Lebert anticipates old Saint Nick will receive more than 1,000 letters from children in the Alle-Kiski Valley and beyond this holiday season.

Lebert plans to kick off that effort with an event Saturday, Nov. 29 at the Roy A. Hunt Elementary School gymnasium, 1701 Alcoa Drive, in Arnold.

“It’s getting a huge following this year,” said Lebert, of Fawn. “Being indoors, there’s really no telling what we’re going to get.”

That event is the part of a growing initiative Lebert started — unintentionally — in 2019.

That year, he placed a decorative “Santa Mail” mailbox outside of his mother’s house along Rankin Street in Arnold.

H.D. Berkey school teacher Mick Dombroski saw it, had his 19 students write letters to Santa and walked his class over to drop their letters inside.

The rest is magical history.

“It’s a good feeling,” Lebert said. “It shows people still want their kids to believe in Santa and the spirit. With all going on in the world today, there’s still some belief out there.”

The number of letters grows every year. Last year, there were 693 letters total, Lebert said, from children as far away as Coraopolis and Robinson.

The mailbox, itself, also has a story: students from the Northern Westmoreland Career and Technology Center last year rehabbed and decorated the 1930 relay mailbox.

Lebert began doing a holiday event last year, where, he said, more than 250 children attended.

This year’s event will be in two parts: one geared toward special needs children and adults from 2 to 4 p.m., and the other for the general public from 6 to 8 p.m.

“There’s not a lot for special needs children and adults to do around here, if anything at all,” Lebert said. “They deserve the time with Santa and to enjoy the Christmas spirit as much as anyone else.”

The event will include children’s games, face painting, a DJ, photos with Santa, door prizes, Chinese auction baskets and treats. Admission is free, but donations are welcome, Lebert said.

“We really try to make it a special event for everybody,” he said.

The mailbox will be at the Nov. 29 event for people to write and drop off their letters.

After the event, it will move to 303 Rankin St. until Dec. 20.

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