Media's Own 'Santa Claus' Raises Thousands for Restaurant Workers
MEDIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Some people are calling her the Santa Claus of Media. Others, Brittany Claus.
"When they see Brittany walk in the door, their heart drops because they know what's going on," said Hallie Yancey, the general manager of Sterling Pig.
Her name is Brittany Scharr. Saturday was her 91st time walking into a Media restaurant to surprise a server.
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"I've been going around gifting $100 to local servers and bartenders and you were on my list!" she told a server at Dos Gringos Mexican Kitchen.
It started a few weeks ago when Pennsylvania banned indoor dining because of the rise in COVID-19 cases. As a former restaurant worker, Brittany wanted to help.
"It was really heavy on my heart from being in the industry for so long and still having so many friends inside the industry, knowing they were struggling from the original shutdown," said Scharr, who lives in Media.
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She wanted to raise $1,200 and on the 12 days of Christmas, and gift 12 servers each $100.
"Right before Christmas to have that happen, I just felt called to do something," she said.
The Media community felt the same way and started donating. Within a matter of days, "...Right now we are at $12,605," said Scharr.
"While the fundraiser was originally supposed to be 12 days, Scharr is planning on keeping the fundraiser going longer than that, at least until January 4 when the ban on dining is supposed to be lifted in Pennsylvania.
"$100 cash can't pay someone's rent but it can make someone feel valued, that they are important, that there's a community backing them even when it doesn't feel that way," she said.
