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Country Santa receives state’s highest honor

By Rocky Nimmons
Publisher
rnimmons@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — A large crowd gathered on Tuesday morning in front of the Pickens office of Buddy Cox to honor the man known throughout the Upstate as “Country Santa.”

Unbeknownst to Cox, the group was there to thank the humble Pumpkintown resident for the many years of work he has done in bringing smiles to children in the area during Christmastime and to see him receive South Carolina’s highest civilian honor, the Order of the Palmetto.

State House Rep. Davey Hiott and Sen. Rex Rice presented Cox with the distinguished award. Hiott told the crowd that local resident Ronnie Lackey had approached him last January asking

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Country Santa ready for another season

It all started with a little girl named Mary Ann.

Mary Ann was getting ready to start first grade at Ambler Elementary School, and she had a big problem. An embarrassing, sad problem.

She had no shoes.

Buddy Cox, a Pumpkintown resident with a soft heart for needy

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County ABATE to ride to help Country Santa

COUNTY — The Pickens County ABATE will host its annual Toy Run this Saturday to benefit the Country Santa program.

The group will be riding in the Easley Christmas Parade of Lights. All planning to ride are asked to meet in the parking lot of Miss Hoots (the

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Events to benefit Country Santa

By Jason Evans
Staff Reporter

jevans@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — Buddy Cox says the Country Santa program couldn’t deliver Christmas presents to local children without the support of the public.

“The public supports us,” he said. “They know everything goes back to the program. They know we’re 100 percent public donations, 100

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Country Santa continues to help less fortunate during the holiday season

By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter

brobinson@thepccourier.com

PICKENS — With Christmas Day just around the corner, Pumpkintown’s Buddy Cox is pretty much exhausted.

Still, he knows several days of work remain to be done.

Ben Robinson/Courier Country Santa organizer Buddy Cox works at his Pumpkintown home on Saturday. Cox has been helping the less fortunate in the Upstate through Country Santa for more than 30 years.

Ben Robinson/Courier
Country Santa organizer Buddy Cox works at his Pumpkintown home on Saturday. Cox has been helping the less fortunate in the Upstate through Country Santa for more than 30 years.

Each year, Cox becomes Country Santa, providing Christmas presents for children who would likely have to do without if not for his efforts.

He began his mission decades ago. Cox grew up in a poor home, and the family had to depend on the kindness of a neighborhood church for Christmas presents each year. He never forgot the joy he felt receiving presents from the church members each year.

“We didn’t receive much, but it was all we had,” he said. “As I got older and figured out how my mother could somehow magically come up with presents despite our family not having anything, I realized that those people actually cared for me. Of course we received help throughout the year — food and such — but I began to see how tragic it would be for a child to wake up Christmas morning and have nothing under the tree.

“It’s not so much the cost of the gift as the love that goes into getting it.”

So Cox grew up and began his own business. And he started buying Christmas presents for families who live near him who would not be able to buy gifts for their kids. Before long, some neighbors heard about his efforts and wanted to contribute.

And Cox’s effort grew. And kept growing.

Before long, Country Santa’s list had grown from eight families to hundreds across the Upstate and beyond.

12-16 Page 1B.indd“I just can’t sleep at night knowing that some kid may wake up Christmas morning and find nothing under the tree,” Cox said. “And it’s not always their parents’ fault. Times are tough, and people may have to choose between buying their child a Christmas present and paying for their electricity.”

Cox gives Upstate parents another option.

“We’re just basically filling in where the local church used to,” Cox said. “Some of our churches are struggling, too.”

And people seem to appreciate his efforts.

“I can’t count the times that we’ve had a parent show up here (at Cox’s Pumpkintown home) and say, ‘You helped me last year, so now I want to help others through you.’” Cox said. “Some of our most dedicated elves are either folks we have helped or kin to somebody we have helped.”

Elves begin to show up Thanksgiving Day to help sort and pack the toys, Cox said.

“School groups, church groups, civic groups and scout groups all come up and help us pack toys,” he said. “To tell the truth, we would be lost without our volunteers.”

Toys are left at drop points scattered across the Upstate.

“Folks are very generous, because they know where our gifts are going,” Cox said. “They’re not going to find these gifts in a dumpster somewhere or for sale at the jockey lot.”

Ben Robinson/Courier As toys line the shelves, volunteers — also known as elves — help at Country Santa’s workshop in Pumpkintown on Saturday. “To tell the truth, we would be lost without our volunteers,” organizer Buddy Cox said.

Ben Robinson/Courier
As toys line the shelves, volunteers — also known as elves — help at Country Santa’s workshop in Pumpkintown on Saturday. “To tell the truth, we would be lost without our volunteers,” organizer Buddy Cox said.

His volunteers include State Rep. Davey Hiott, who visited Country Santa on Sunday.

“When he gets up here, Davey is just one big kid,” Cox said. “But he comes with a Sunday school class he apparently teaches. What better place to show kids the true meaning of Christmas?”

This year, Cox’s donations are going well.

“We never seem to have too much,” Cox said. “We always want enough to start on next year. Right now, we could use gifts for older kids. People want to buy the stuffed animals for the little kids, but if we run out of anything, it’s usually stuff for the older kids.”

Cox said the gifts he has now for teenagers won’t last long.

After more than 30 years as Country Santa, Cox is philosophical.

“Overall I feel really blessed,” Cox said. “Blessed to be able to help so many people, blessed by the many people this has put in my life, blessed that we are still able to do this after so many years. I dream of the day when Country Santa will no longer be necessary. But the need is still out there, and Country Santa seems to keep ministering both to those who give and those who receive.”

Each bag of toys carries the message, “Merry Christmas from Jesus and Country Santa.”

 

Steamboat to appear at Country Santa benefit

PICKENS — For the second year in a row, a WWE Hall of Famer will be on hand to help children in need this Christmas as 3Count Pro Wrestling hosts its annual Country Santa Clash on Dec. 5.

Steamboat

Steamboat

The event, the third to benefit Country Santa in as many years for the promotion, is planned at Pickens Middle School[cointent_lockedcontent]

and will feature a special appearance by WWE Hall of Famer Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.

One of Steamboat’s greatest rivals, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, appeared at last year’s event.

Tickets for the event are available for as little as $4 with the donation of an unopened toy for Country Santa.

A limited number of exclusive VIP tickets, which include VIP seating, parking, an autograph and photo, are available. To reserve a VIP package, call (864) 346-3908.

The event will feature an action-packed lineup, with former TNA star Gunner set to take on Ring of Honor star Cedric Alexander, “Loaded Gunz” Ken Magnum battling former WCW performer Lodi for the 3County Heavyweight Championship, Ace Armstrong taking on “The Scottish Prince” Joshua O’Glesby, backed by The Highland Embassy, in a ladder match and much more.

Donations of unopened toys will be collected to benefit Country Santa, and doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Bell time is set for 7:30 p.m., and the card is subject to change.

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Country Santa delivers despite rain

Despite rainy weather, Country Santa Buddy Cox and his team of volunteers delivered gifts for more than 3,200 children on Christmas Eve last week.

Despite rainy weather, Country Santa Buddy Cox and his team of volunteers delivered gifts for more than 3,200 children on Christmas Eve last week.

PICKENS — Nelle Cox knew she and her husband faced a challenge as volunteers delivered gifts this year for Country Santa.

The weather was rainy Dec. 23 as volunteers went to Country Santa’s headquarters in Pumpkintown and was worse on Christmas Eve as hundreds of volunteers showed up to pick up the gifts for delivery.

Many who normally volunteer for Country Santa were unable to this year due to a bad round of

Helping Country Santa

The environmental department at Baptist Easley Hospital donated two boxes of toys to the Country Santa program in Pickens. Each year, the housekeeper staff chooses a project to fund for the Christmas holiday. This year, they chose Country Santa. “The whole staff was proud to help the children of Pickens County during the holiday,” said department manager Harriet Lugo, right.

 

Country Santa gearing up for Christmas

By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter

brobinson@thepccourier.com

PUMPKINTOWN — Things are busy at the Pumpkintown home of Buddy Cox. Volunteers report there daily to bag toys for the thousands of children who have Christmas joy delivered to them Christmas Eve.

“We have members of the Dacusville Lions Club here now,” Cox said earlier this week. “We’ve got kids from Easley High School coming later tonight. It’s amazing how many good people we have who are willing to work to make sure some child they don’t know has a good Christmas.”

Collecting toys for giving has become a way of life for Cox, who is an engineer in Pickens. When

‘Nature Boy’ to appear at benefit for Country Santa

PICKENS — Hide your wives and daughters. “The Nature Boy” is coming to Pickens.

WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair, the larger-than-life self-proclaimed “limousine-riding, jet-flying, kiss-stealing, wheeling-dealing son of a gun,” will be on hand this Saturday as 3 Count Pro Wrestling will present Country Santa Clash II at Pickens Middle School.

The event is scheduled to help collect toys for Country Santa to deliver to underprivileged children on Christmas.

Flair, a 16-time world heavyweight champion widely hailed as one of the greatest professional