Dear Santa Claus,
Next Christmas, is it OK if we pretend to be you again at Tampa’s Hope Children’s Home, which rescues and shelters children in need?
As Tampa Electric Supervisor of Distribution Design James Swinson wanted to be sure our letter to you included, “Central Service Area’s Distribution Design and Operations teams have been doing this for over 35 years – and each year it gets bigger and better for the kids.”
Santa, can you also please bring us more copper wire? Electricians we work with donate it to us and we sell it to raise proceeds to put on our annual party for children at Hope. (We also help with an annual Thanksgiving dinner for the children, and we realize Thanksgiving isn’t your jurisdiction, but we didn’t think you’d mind us mentioning it (plus there’s not really a “Santa of Thanksgiving.”))
We know thieves will steal copper wire – it’s a real problem – but all we steal is hearts at Hope Children’s Home. This year we sold $7,299.45 in copper (our apprentices spent days stripping it to prepare it for resale), with all proceeds going to this charitable effort!
Can you also continue to give us the drive and engagement to make life a little better for disadvantaged children in the communities we serve?
Again, in the words of James, “Several team members from Central put in over 500 volunteer hours combined throughout the year. It’s very humbling to hear some of the stories and see what these kids [at Hope Children’s Home] go through. It is a blessing to have the opportunity to provide the kids with such an awesome Christmas party. They are truly a wonderful group.”
Can you please give us the gift of safety as we shop for presents for the children – and can you continue to hand out plentiful laughter and smiles?
Actually, since you’re probably getting closer to retirement, maybe you’d let us take over your role completely? Incidentally, we’re decarbonizing our factories, which are conveniently located far from the North Pole. (Who’s older, by the way – you or Yoda? Yoda doesn’t bring us presents, so you’re our clear favorite!)
Sorry to impersonate you, Santa – but the way we see it, our work with Hope Children’s Home just adds up to less work for you to worry about. (We thought it made more sense to ask for forgiveness than permission.)
Finally, we’ve long heard rumors that you occasionally leave a lump of coal in holiday stockings. Would you consider shifting to solar panels? That can brighten anyone’s day, just like we brighten the holidays at Hope Children’s Home. And as long as pretending to be you doesn’t make us naughty, we can’t wait to do it again.
Happy Holidays, Santa!
Your Friends at Tampa Electric’s Central Service Area
