Not much in 2020 can qualify as normal or routine, but the Association of Children with Down Syndrome’s very own Santa Claus refused to let Covid-19 disrupt his favorite time of the year.
Longtime Rockville Centre resident Barry Shimkin has brought joy to hundreds of children for the past 26 years by donning his red suit (he’s on suit No. 3), fluffy white beard and a bag full of presents to share with ACDS students with disabilities.
This year, pandemic restrictions nearly put an end to visits from Santa. But Shimkin would not be deterred. Working in conjunction with the ACDS Parent Teacher Organization, last weekend he decided to hop in his sleigh — in this case, the custom vehicle ACDS utilizes to bring students to its Early Intervention clinic — put on a festive protective mask and bring holiday cheer to kids all over Nassau County and parts of Suffolk County in lieu of their usual visits to ACDS headquarters in Plainview.
“It’s been the best day of the year for me since I started playing Santa,” Shimkin said. “Seeing the look on the kids’ faces is a wonderful thing. It’s a pleasure beyond belief.”
He and his wife, Jane, ACDS’s director of early intervention services, donated the funds this year to purchase gifts to ensure that children have something special as they experience the magic of the season. “Barry and Jane are a very special couple,” ACDS Executive Director Michael Smith said. “We can’t let outsiders into the building this year and it was their idea to bring gifts to kids’ homes. Barry always says it’s the one day on his calendar nobody can touch. All we had to do was provide some bottles of Diet Coke to keep him going.”