Coloring Book

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This is the story of Secret Santa – a man who made the world a better

place with random acts of kindness for more than 25 years...

while keeping his true identity a secret.

Homeless, hungry and broke in 1971, Larry Dean Stewart entered

the Dixie Diner in Houston, Mississippi, not knowing how he'd

pay for a hot meal.

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Realizing that Larry was in trouble, “Cookie” handed him $20 –

enough to pay for his food, fill his empty gas tank and leave town.

“Here, you must have dropped this,” Cookie said.

Driving away, Larry thanked God for Cookie’s gift and promised

that he would help others someday, too.

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Eight years later in Independence, Missouri, recently fired from his

job days before Christmas, Larry gave a big tip to a cold and tired

waitress and remembered his promise.

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Larry drove to his bank, withdrew a third of his savings and began

handing out the money to people who looked like they needed a little

boost. “Here, you must have dropped this,” he said.

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Within two or three years, Larry withdrew hundred-dollar bills from the

bank to give away each Christmas. He became known to some as

“The Hundred-Dollar-Bill man.” Others call him Secret Santa.

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Recipients often thanked Secret Santa with a hug and tears.

He never told them his real name.

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“Santa’s elves” included firefighters and other friends who helped him

look for people who needed help.

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In 1999, Secret Santa tracked down “Cookie,” whose real name

was Ted Horn, in Mississippi and thanked him for rescuing

him decades earlier.

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Santa traveled to other cities, too – places like New York, Washington,

D.C., San Diego, Florida and Mississippi – to help people hurt by

terrorists, fires and hurricanes.

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After 25 years of helping others, Larry started training other Santas

to give away money, too. Today, new Santas carry on his tradition,

helping others in cities across America.

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Anyone can be a Secret Santa … by offering a kind word, by doing a

good deed or by helping someone when they need it.

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The only thing Secret Santa ever asks

of the people he helps is that they do a random

act of kindness to help another person someday.

To purchase a copy of the

book, "

Santa's Secret -

A Story of Hope" visit

www.thekansascitystore.com.

Author: Donna McGuire
Illustrator: David A. Thompson

Copyright 2007 World 2 Publishing Inc.
Lee's Summit MO. All Rights Reserved.

Learn More and Share Your Secret Santa Stories!

he secretsantaworld Web site has been developed
to carry on the tradition Larry Stewart began. His

goal was to make the world a better place – one kind
gesture at a time. Please join us in continuing his legacy
of love, compassion and hope.

Share your Secret Santa story with us. We would like to
hear from people who have either been blessed by Secret
Santa personally, or who have committed a random act of
kindness in the spirit of Secret Santa. Tell us how Secret
Santa has touched your life!

www.secretsantaworld.net

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