(light upbeat music) - Will you consider this?

The holidays are coming up, and the spirit of Christmas dresses in red a lot of times.

Now, he is known as Santa Bill, and then there's Lindsay Camp, but Santa Bill is one of Santa's big helpers 'cause he gets busy this time of year, and he needs people around here to help.

So you are Bill, Santa Bill Turney.

- Yes, ma'am.

- And you have been Santa Bill at the hospital for the kids for 29 years.

How did that all start all those years ago?

- Oh Lord.

Northwoods Church gave a message one day about giving something personal to somebody.

And also at the same time, I read in the Beckett Price Guide for football cards how they would like to have them at the hospitals and stuff like that.

And so I collected football cards back then, and I just didn't tell nobody I was coming, just walked into OSF and started handing out football cards to these kids.

And I seen this little boy.

He was pretty upset about getting his blood drawn, and I asked his mom, "Could I give him a football card?"

And she said, "Yeah, that might calm him down."

So, (laughs) this is crazy, I gave him a $250 Barry Sanders rookie card.

- Whoa, did you know at the time that that was the value?

- Yes, I did.

- Wow.

- And it didn't matter to me.

If it made him smile, then that's fine, but can you imagine what that card is worth today?

- I can't imagine.

Have you been in touch with that little boy lately?

He's not so little anymore, 29 years plus whatever.

- Yeah, I don't stay in touch with any of 'em.

I just go in there, see 'em, and pray for them and go to the next room.

- Wow, what a great beginning.

And then Lindsay, now you've jumped on board.

How long have you been one of Santa's helpers?

This is my fourth Christmas with Santa Bill.

- [Christine] And how did it happen?

- I met him through a mutual friend, and I am fortunate enough to be involved in the local music scene.

Peoria has a great local music scene, and we have a project where we were creating content for YouTube about local bands and local venues.

And we decided we wanted to do a Christmas special and wanted to partner up with a charity to do that.

And within the month, we had met Bill, and once you meet him, he's so passionate about this.

And to have a local charity where we can do something for the people in our community, we just jumped on board and created kind of a Christmas festival that happens every year.

And we bring out bands, and cost of admission is a toy.

And then we also try to create a ripple effect where we require the bands that participate to have their own toy drive.

And so every year, more people get involved and more businesses, and it's so humbling to see it continue to happen.

And more people get involved every year and know who Santa Bill is and want to be a part of contributing to something that stays in our community and creates these magical moments for families that are going through just a tough time, you know?

- Well, Christmas is, I mean, it's stressful anyway, but then you have a child in the hospital, and it makes it that much worse.

And then the magic of Christmas, the spirit of Christmas, is pushed aside, but then you step in, and you brighten some lives.

- [Bill] Yes, I do.

- Okay.

So tell me some of the stories that you've had so far.

- Well, many years ago, we seen a child in the hospital who just had heart surgery, and we did not go into the room.

We just stopped at the door and gave his mom presents, and she had been looking for me for over a year just to tell me thank you.

And then she finally found me through a friend of hers, and she's been helping me ever since for probably 10, 15 years.

- Really, so she's one of the Santa Bill's Hospital Helpers?

- Yeah, she is.

- How 'bout it?

So you just kind of collect them as you go.

- [Bill] Yeah.

- And the organization is run totally on volunteer?

- Yes.

- All right.

So how many people do you have volunteering- - Ooh.

- To do all this stuff?

- Probably 15, I think.

- Really?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

And you're in charge of showing up or?

- Showing up?

(laughs) It's quite a production when I show up at the hospital.

- It is, yeah.

I know one time the fire department put you in the bucket truck.

- [Bill] They've been doing that for the last five or six years.

- Okay.

- And that's pretty amazing.

I'm up there giving the kids a heart sign.

They're giving it back to me and stuff.

And it's pretty amazing going up there and seeing the kids and, you know, their smiles.

And we just go by the windows waving at 'em, and it's just amazing.

- So you were telling me when we talked earlier on the phone that your wife, it was so cold and windy, she did not want you to go up in that bucket, right?

- I think it was last Christmas.

It was very cold, and the Santa suit is not that thick.

(Christine laughs) And I told her- - [Christine] It's not insulated.

- No, I told her I wasn't gonna go up there, and as soon as she left, I told the fire department, I said, "Let's do it."

And I was freezing up there.

- I bet.

- But I had to do it for the kids.

- Well, you think of where they are.

They'd much rather be outside in the cold than in the hospital, right?

- Mm-hm.

- Right.

Now, Lindsay, have you gone then to the hospital with him to make some of the deliveries?

- Absolutely, every year since we started, and, in fact, our first year, so four years ago, being able to see it and be a part of it, our little team came with our cameras to try and catch some images, and we put it together in a special that debuts closer to Christmas.

But just to watch it happen that people come just to see it, it's that circle outside of OSF, and the news trucks are there.

And then you hear the firetruck coming and ringing, and it's like the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade when Santa comes in, and it's the big moment.

- All right.

- And I like to joke, Santa comes to town with a 25 foot U-Haul that's packed to the brim.

And I think even that was one of the most amazing things to witness, was our first year we went out to Bill's house.

He's the keeper of toys, and how he reorganizes them and makes sure that there's a good assortment that's going where it needs to go and that things are boxed accordingly and nicely so when the staff gets it, they can open it up and put it where it needs to go.

And to watch these volunteers, maybe 10 or 15 that are locked in and helping with all the things, load box after box after box, it just keeps going.

(Bill laughs) Everyone's excited and just giddy and so thrilled to be a part of it, and it's so awesome to watch it play out and then the excitement of when it pulls up the next day, and it all starts to unload, and you see it go into the hands of the children and families that are just so appreciative.

And to have those... You do, you just create these magical moments every year for these families.

- Thank you.

- Well, so how do you decide who's supposed to get what, or you let the hospital staff do that?

- They do that.

- Okay, because you never know the ages.

But you collect all kinds of toys, and, I mean, what's the value of all of the money that you've raised and the value of all those toys?

- [Bill] I'm a toy hustler.

(laughs) - I like that.

- Yeah.

And last year we delivered $75,000 in toys to OSF.

- [Christine] Wow, and that was to how many kids?

- Over 5,000 kids go through the ped unit a year.

- Okay.

- I did not know that until just a couple years ago, and I push hard every year to try to get more.

To me, it's never enough for these kids, you know, because they're so sick.

They don't deserve to be sick, and to me, they're perfect.

- Well, in God's eyes, they're perfect too, so it's nice that you're on that same level with the big guy.

(laughs) - At Christmas, I consider 'em all my kids.

- That's awesome.

That's awesome.

So, okay, you also have fundraisers throughout the year, like your bands.

- [Lindsay] Yes.

- And how much do you generally collect, and when is your event usually?

- Sure, so we usually do, it's Daylight Savings Sunday is what we've done the last four years.

And so we get the local bands involved and the local venues that will participate as well.

OZ'Z in Creve Coeur hosted us for the third year this year, and it's just a day of like a little Christmas music festival.

And so last year we raised almost 12,000 just from our little group.

And I always tell Bill, "I feel like it just isn't enough," but you always say that too, and I'm like, "Bill, it's plenty."

But just the people that are willing to participate and that want to and get excited with it.

Last year, there was even one of the nurses from OSF that showed up at our event at OZ'Z, and she came up to me and was telling me stories from the nurse's perspective of having these things to give and what it means to the kids and just kind of a glimpse into it.

Even after Bill comes, he stocks the hospital so that they have more things to give children later who are having a rough day or having a procedure.

And so they have just a back stock of items that are just, "Let us love on you a little bit as long as we can," and it's just wonderful to be a part of.

- That's exciting.

And then Spoon River Drive, this year you were at the Spoon River Drive.

Were you there too, Lindsay or?

- He's got the volunteers and the tents out, and they're at all four corners with the boots every Spoon River Drive.

- We did over $5,000- - This year?

- Yes, the two weekends we did over five grand.

- Okay.

- So we're off to a good start.

- And that's cash money?

- Yes, ma'am.

- And then you go out.

So who goes out and buys all of these toys?

- I do.

- Okay.

- And she helps out too.

- I really like to do shopping.

- I love the shopping.

I mean, people looking at me like, "Why is he buying all these toys?"

ask me questions, "Who's it for?"

And sometimes people even give me a donation, a small donation to help me out.

- When they see you doing that.

- Yes, but one year we wore our Santa gear in there, and I've never got my picture taken so much in my life.

It was amazing.

But we'll go to Walmart, and we spend about $12,000 in about two hours.

- [Christine] Really?

- It takes longer to check out from Walmart than it is to get the toys.

- I bet.

So do you get what you know is popular?

I mean, how do you keep track of that?

Because, I mean, there's sometimes, they're the big-ticket item this year.

- We try to find out what's popular, but just to see me in a toy aisle and pick out toys, I want five of this, six of that, 10 of this, you know?

And we always do have something that these kids enjoy.

- Which is really fun and rewarding.

Okay, so tell me about some of the other stories that might make you tear up a little bit just 'cause you've seen a lot in 29 years.

- Well, there's this one little boy.

He was 17 years old, and he was supposed to be on the newspaper with me that was coming that day.

He had cancer.

And we went in there and gave him a Johnny Knox signed jersey that played for the Bears, a signed football from Brian Urlacher.

And we left, and we found out... I whispered in his mom ears, "Get ahold of me," and stuff like that, and she did.

She found a couple days later he wasn't gonna make it.

And her story is that I gave her and her son their last Christmas.

And we became very good friends because he was 17 years old when he passed away, and my son was 17 months old when he passed away.

So we're still to this day very, very close.

- Yeah, well, that brought tears to my eyes too, and I can see Lindsay's tearing up too.

But what a gift, what a gift for him and his mom.

- Yes.

- Yeah.

Okay, all right, let's do something fun now.

I mean, not that everything isn't fun, but let's do something that makes us feel a little bit better.

(laughs) - Sorry I made you cry.

- That's okay.

- I was gonna say I think December 6th he does a yearly fundraiser as well, and it's the Big Santa Bill, the one that we count on to really bring in our last push that we need to do all the shopping.

- [Christine] And that's at The Trolley?

- That's at The Trolley, yeah.

We're thankful they're hosting us for the second year.

Bill and his team are great.

And tell 'em about some of the great stuff that people have already donated, Bill, that will be there to raffle and auction on.

- So far, I have a jersey signed by Dick Butkus.

- Oh wow.

- And I have a Mike's Singletary jersey.

I'm a big Bears fan.

- I can tell.

- Oh, yes.

- [Christine] Even though you're wearing not the color, but I get it because you're Santa's helper, yes.

- We have some Packer stuff, signed helmets, and some Detroit Lions signed 'em, little bit for everybody in the sports.

- Okay.

- Autographed.

And we're gonna have a 65-inch TV to raffle off and a Blackstone grill, and we're still looking for raffle prizes so we can make a lot of money to buy toys for these kids.

- Right, so then the raffle tickets will be what, like an arm length for 20 or whatever, or how do you do it?

- We have silent auction- - Okay.

- On the bigger ticket prices or prizes.

And then we have little bags with, sell raffle tickets.

You pick what you want and stick in that bag.

- [Christine] Right, exactly, yeah, which is kind of fun.

Lindsay goes.

No, go ahead.

- And then we also have a few items that are on boards that you can buy squares for, and we're thankful The Trolley is hoping to put them out early for us.

So even if you can't make the event, if you stopped in that week, you would be able to purchase a square to win one of these larger items, which is very exciting.

- Really exciting.

So how many people did you have then last year at The Trolley for the event?

- [Bill] I really don't know.

- It goes all day of like from 12 to nine, kind of an open house style, yes.

And Santa's there, does a special appearance for a while so people can do pictures.

There's face painting.

There's food.

And we just hope that people will stop in and see us and give some money to the charity and hopefully get to take home something great as well.

One of the really special items we have is a hog that two people have a chance to win half a hog.

- Oh yeah - Wow.

And who donated that?

- Sipp Farms.

- Okay.

- In Glasford.

My friend of mine, he passed away from cancer, and I asked him one day, you know, this is after he passed, could they donate me a hog to sell raffle tickets to make some money.

And so we sell 500 tickets, and I got to thinking, "What a great way to honor Kevin's memory."

- Right.

- So we sell 500 tickets, and there's two winners, a half a hog each.

- [Christine] Okay, well, that's fair.

- Yeah.

- All right.

And then they can have 'em prepared any way they want so they can store 'em.

- Yeah, the processing is free.

- Yeah, well, that's good too.

Boy, you're connected after all these years.

So people know.

They see you coming, and it's not like, "Oh, I'm going the other way."

It's like, "What can I do?"

right?

- Yeah, pretty much.

- Yeah, and that's gotta make you feel good.

- I've met people.

I tell everybody, somebody, every day, about what we do for kids in hopes that they might wanna give me a donation, give me some toys for these kids.

And I've met people out in public that we've seen their child in the hospital, and then they wanna start giving back.

- And they spot you, and they'll just say, "Hey, I'm ready."

- Yes.

- well, that's awesome too.

- Quick little story, please.

- Okay.

(laughs) - At Spoon River Drive just a couple weeks ago, I was sitting in my truck.

I don't do a lot on the corner anymore.

All the college kids I get coming down from Monmouth do it.

And so I'm sitting in the truck, and this lady walks up to our tent, and she asked how much the hoodies were, and the guy's standing there, you know, was telling her how much they were, and so she bought one.

And so I walk up there and talk to her for a minute and told her who we were.

And she said, "My son was in the hospital at Christmas, and Santa came to see him and also brought toys for his brother."

And I had a picture of me and this little girl sitting there with cancer.

And I looked over at the picture, and I said, "Is that the Santa?"

And she said, "Yes, it was."

I said, "That's me."

(laughs) - [Christine] Oh, okay.

- So she wants to send us a nice donation, and we'll get toys with that.

- All right.

So, now, so you've been in touch with Santa because you're one of his helpers and everything here locally.

And he's pretty proud of you 'cause you're carrying on his whole legacy and helping him out, right?

- Yes, ma'am.

- All right.

And the kids really do look at you in awe.

- Oh yes, they do.

It's so amazing.

I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas than going up and see these kids and just making them forget that they're sick for a few minutes.

The parents wanna get 'em home for Christmas, and the kids, I'm sure they're wondering if "Santa's gonna find me here."

Oh boy, does he.

- Okay, yeah, exactly.

(Bill laughs) So how do you... I mean, I don't know if it's important.

How do you balance out who's gonna get what and what the value is?

Or do you have to factor that in, or you let the staff do that?

(laughs) - [Bill] I let the child life department do that.

- Okay.

- I mean, they got... Couple times these past couple years, they have to come over to my house to get toys to take there already because I have no more room.

You cannot walk through my basement or my garage.

- [Christine] (laughs) But it's organized?

- Yes.

- So, yeah.

See, at my house it wouldn't be, but.

- [Bill] It's kind of like Tetris.

- Okay.

- I stack all the toys and everything and sort 'em, but they won't let me touch a box.

- Okay.

'Cause, well, you know, you're getting up there, Santa.

- [Bill] Oh boy.

- And you need that extra help.

They're elves.

- Yes.

- Yeah, I like that, I like that.

And you've been there, so you've seen this whole process.

- [Lindsay] Yes.

- Okay, so let's go back to the beginning.

So it was just you and who the very first year?

- [Christine] I think it was my son.

- All right, and then the second year, what happened?

- Few more toys and just a little red cart.

And when we brought the little red cart in one day, I seen the Marines in there, all shiny uniforms, bags, bikes, and everything.

And all I had was a little red cart with a few toys on it, and so that challenged me.

- Okay.

- And made me push harder and for more and more toys.

And we went from a minivan into just a small U-Haul truck.

And now we have like a 25-foot U-Haul that we load these toys in.

- [Christine] All the way to the top?

- Oh, top to bottom.

- All the way to the top.

- That's pretty incredible.

So it's heartwarming, and you're doing a good job.

And when are you going to go to the hospital this year then?

- [Bill] This year will be December 22nd.

- Okay, right before Christmas.

- Mm-hm.

- Oh, that's really good.

So the kids will be, I mean... And you get to see a lot of it.

They're jumping practically out of their beds and pulling at their- - Some of them's already waiting in the hallway.

I've had children give me a present before I can give them a present.

- Oh, how sweet.

And yeah, so what do they give you?

Do they give you some of their beautiful artwork?

- This little girl, she has cystic fibrosis.

I met her many years ago.

Her name's Brooklyn.

And before I can even get to her room, she gave me a Santa Claus ornament made out of tongue depressors, tape, and red paper and white paper.

- [Christine] And so proud of it.

- Yes.

- Oh wow.

- It's a keepsake of mine, and it's... I told her someday when I'm no longer here, that I would like her to have that back.

- Aw, good.

And so you have all of that information ready for her?

- [Bill] Oh, I don't know about that.

It's in a frame.

- Okay.

So, you have those things to treasure, and they are treasures.

And when they come out in the hallway, I mean, they're just all, I mean, a lot of 'em are all connected.

And these are kids who have sickle cell.

They have cystic fibrosis.

- Yes, ma'am.

- They have cancer.

They have all different kinds of illnesses that they're in the hospital being treated for.

And what do you say to them?

- I don't say anything about their illnesses.

All I could do is just pray for them.

You know, I've been known many times to get down on my knees right there and just pray for them.

When you're Channel 31 was there, and I had everybody in there, the camera people and everybody crying, 'cause all I did was say a short little prayer for this little girl.

- And she didn't cry.

She just knew it was special, but everybody else around you was (imitates onlooker crying).

- Yeah, her mother was also in tears.

Everybody was in tears.

- Aw.

Now, Lindsay, are you gonna go this year on December 22nd and help?

- We do.

We've gone every year since.

My husband participates as well, and it's our favorite new Christmas tradition to go and support this guy however we can.

You know, it's a big job, and he doesn't talk about too about how hard it is to be in gear and to go to every floor and to keep up that energy when you're... You know, it's what, four hours of just going floor to floor to floor?

- [Christine] With no sitting down, no breaks.

- Yeah.

- [Bill] Well, we get a break.

- [Christine] Do you?

(laughs) - We try to make sure he gets a chance to drink something, eat a little bite, and then go back out at it.

- [Christine] So it's from what time to what time?

- Oh, we get there about 10 o'clock.

- Okay.

- Me and the fire department.

And I think it's at least three or four hours.

You know, I take a couple breaks here and there, and then we ride back up there.

And, you know, the child life department has toys by the room, so we just gather them up and into the room we go.

Ho, ho, ho, let's have some fun.

- (laughs) I love it.

I love it.

The staff is probably just as excited too because then they get to know that the kids have a little bit of a break from all of their maladies, right?

- Yeah, we make them forget that they're ill for little few minutes.

- [Christine] Yeah, which is nice.

It's rewarding.

- Yes.

- All right, so, what does the future hold then?

- Whew, like I said, this year's 29 years, and next year's 30.

I cannot wait for next year to get here.

- All right.

- 30 years?

- I know.

- That's pretty amazing.

- That is really.

- And I've always wanted one of my kids to step up into the red suit, and we're still working on that.

- Okay, well, 'cause they see the work involved, and maybe the passion will drive them, you think?

- [Bill] I hope so.

- Okay, well, look at all the volunteers you have because of the passion, right, Lindsay?

- Exactly.

- Yeah, yeah.

- I mean, I'll still be deeply involved in this, but I would just... Hang on.

- Okay.

- I'm tired.

- [Christine] Well, yeah.

- I would just... I'm always gonna be Santa Bill, forever, but I would just like to step out of the red suit- - [Christine] Okay.

- Find somebody to replace me that could do a great job.

I'll still be deeply involved in this charity 'cause, like I said, nobody gets toys like I do.

(laughs) - [Christine] No, right, yeah, you've been the toy hustler.

- Yeah.

(laughs) - Yes, yes.

- I'm just, you know... But they gotta have a heart.

They gotta have my heart and my passion for these kids.

It's not easy.

The first time I jumped into the red suit, I didn't wanna do it.

- Okay.

- It took my friend Dee at the hospital quite a while to even get me to go into a child's room when I first started.

And I didn't go, I didn't wanna go.

I didn't wanna hold a baby because of me losing my son.

But now you can't keep me away from them babies.

(laughs) To me, that's one of the best part, is sitting down there, getting a picture, holding that little... And I don't wanna give 'em back.

- I believe that.

So, but you gotta find somebody who can do the beard like you do because it's really, really authentic.

- Well, we used to wear fake beards.

- Okay.

- And fake hair.

- [Christine] Okay.

(laughs) - 'Cause when they put the baby in my arms, I can't move.

And so we tried this two years ago.

We bleach it really good, and it looks very well.

- And it works.

- Yes.

And like you just said, authentic and, yeah.

- Yeah, okay.

Well, thank you for sharing your story, your joy, and a little bit of your sorrow for the kids.

- Yes, ma'am.

- And we'll pray that you find somebody that's qualified and take over.

And thank you, Lindsay, for being here and all that you guys do with the band.

(Christine imitates strings plinking) And thanks, Bill, for being here.

I hope you enjoyed the interview with Santa Bill and Lindsay.

And until next time, be well.

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