‘NEW YORK SANTA’ SETS UP SHOP
IN BAY TERRACE SHOPPING CENTER
BY GABRIELE HOLTERMANN
Santa Claus is in a bind
this year. During a holiday
season marked by COVID-19,
he has to come up with creative
ways to spread holiday
joy to children and adults
alike and find out who is
naughty or nice while keeping
a social distance.
A trial lawyer by trade,
Dana B. Friedman, became
“New York Santa” after 9/11
when he was brainstorming
with his assistant about
ways to give back to the first
responders. His assistant
told him that his was physique
was jolly enough to
be Santa, and after scoring
a Santa suit at Rubie’s Costume
Company at a discount,
“New York Santa” was born.
The first year, he spread
joy to the families of first
responders and the victims
of the World Trade Center
attacks. When hospitals like
Jamaica Hospital, St. Mary’s
Hospital for Children, and
Blythedale Children’s Hospital
learned about his charitable
work, he began spreading
his holiday cheer to children
at hospitals and orphanages.
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | DEC. 11-DEC. 17, 2020
But this year, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, he had
to become a socially distant
Santa.
With the help of Cord
Meyer Development Company,
owner of The Bay Terrace
Shopping Center in Bayside,
Friedman opened up a
“workshop” in a vacant store
where people can drop off
toys or a monetary donation.
What is most important
to Friedman is that the kids
can see him through the
large window front while he
is inside working.
“Just as important, if
not even more important, is
that the kids can see Santa
is there for them and they
can get their picture with
Santa,” Friedman said. “The
kids have hope. They know
that there is a sense of continuity
that all good things
will prevail in time. As long
as I can get that across, I’ve
done my job.”
If you wish to donate unwrapped
toys or monetary
donations for the children
at St. Mary’s Hospital for
Children and Blythedale
Children’s Hospital, you can
do so at Santa’s workshop,
located at 212-09 26th Ave. at
The Bay Terrace Shopping
Center.
The shop will be open on
Dec. 12 and 13, from 10 a.m.
until 5 p.m.
Photos by Gabrielle Holtermann
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