POULSBO — Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. And he resides, at least in December, in a small house on Front Street in Historic Downtown Poulsbo.

Had Francis Pharcellus Church, who wrote his famous editorial in the New York Sun in 1897, visited Front Street in 2015 and seen Santa in his little house with all of those donations of cash and goods for Fishline, he might have again written, “Yes, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus.”

Love and generosity were evident Dec. 29 when Father Christmas’ stand-in, Danny Fritts, presented a check for $1,500 and food and canned goods to Fishline — all of it collected during Poulsbo’s holiday season.

“This is a record amount,” reported Carol Ingles of HDPA.

Yes, there is a Santa Claus and, Church himself might have written, he “continues to make glad the hearts” of those who need a caring embrace this holiday season.

Father Christmas’ stand-in, Danny Fritts, presents $1,570 and food to North Kitsap Fishline executive director Mary Nader, Dec. 29. The cash and food were donated by visitors to Santa’s house in downtown Poulsbo. With them is Bill Austin, builder of Santa’s house. — Image credit: Sophie Bonomi