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Mr. and Mrs. Claus tour Paris
By Mary Madewell
Published December 23, 2009
They’re for real.
Santa and Mrs. Claus have been seen around Paris of late riding a red custom made V-8 trike.
Before heading back to the North Pole tomorrow, Santa plans to spend most of the day ringing the bell at the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle in front of Walmart. He plans to be there from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Santa stopped in for a visit late Tuesday at The Paris News asking the paper to issue a plea for folks to contribute to The Salvation Army’s worthwhile cause, to stop by and say “hello” and to have a photograph made with him.
Playing the part of Santa’s helpers, Jim and Sharon Harrelson of Powderly have been busy the past couple weeks showing up at nursing homes, at schools, and at a U.S. Marine Corp Reserve motorcycle run for Toys for Tots in Texarkana.
The couple rides with the Christian Motorcycle Association and participates in frequent charity rallies.
But during the Christmas holidays, the couple dons their costumes and creates quite a sight riding a three-wheeled vehicle along the roadways in Northeast Texas.
Harrelson looks the part and even without his red suit children often point him out in a crowd.
“I was in plain clothes in a store the other day and a little girl kept telling her mother, “There’s Santa; it’s really Santa,” Harrelson said. “I told the girl I was Santa’s helper in town to check on who is being good, and her mother kept giving me the thumbs up.”
With his jolly red face, white beard and husky build, Harrison adds a bit of stuffing to his front side when he puts on his Santa suit.
The Harrelsons began playing Santa a year ago, going to nursing homes along with a singing group from the Powderly Church of God where they attend and made a visit to Paris Regional Medical Center where Sharon works as a unit secretary.
The retired U.S. Marine staff sergeant with service in Vietnam met his wife 40 years ago in California. The couple returned to his hometown in Boswell, Okla. Harrelson attended Kiamichi VoTech in Hugo to train as a diesel mechanic. The couple moved to Lamar County 30 years ago, first settling in Blossom and then moving to Powderly 10 years ago. He worked as a mechanic for Jelly Skidmore Trucking in Paris and later for Earthgrains (now Sara Lee) until heart trouble and several Vietnam-related illnesses forced his retirement in 2004.
“My wife and I rode Harley motorcycles for years, but I have a chest implant (pacemaker/defibrillator) now and I decided it was time to get off two wheels,” Harrelson said. “Can you imagine what might happen if this goes off and I’m driving a motorcycle?”
The couple found the three-wheel trike in Hatfield, Ark. a little more than a year ago.
“People kept telling me it looked a lot like Santa’s sleigh,” Harrelson said. “That’s when we decided to get the Santa outfits.”
The couple volunteers their services, but Harrelson said anyone interested for next year had better get in touch early.
“We’ve already been flooded with requests. I’ll go whenever I can and Sharon will be with me when she’s not working,” Harrelson said, adding “some days I don’t feel as well as others, but the Lord willing I’ll be available.”
When questioned about providing Santa services free of charge, Harrelson said the joy he receives is priceless.
“A smile from a child to me is worth more than any amount of money you can get paid,” the Santa helper said.
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