Santa Claus went straight to Beale Street

Like mail carriers, Santa braves rain, sleet and snow.

Santa impersonators had to put up with just the rain during the 12th annual Stumbling Santa Pub Crawl. Santas — and all things Christmas-y or even just religious (one guy, Eric Hider, was dressed as a Pope) — gathered at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium for the start of the annual Downtown crawl, which was held Dec. 4.

At least 2,000 people attended the event, said Roland Shapley, who founded the event with Bob Burditt. "That was surprising," he said. "Because of the rain I didn't expect that many people."

About 40 people showed up at the first Stumbling Santa event, which was held at Roland's condo.

This year, about 75 percent of the people in costumes were dressed as Santa, 10 percent wore other costumes, and "10 percent were just humbugs and wanted to hang," Roland said. "They didn't want to think they were goofy by wearing a costume."

Guests were asked to bring a toy for Porter-Leath. "Cash donations were more," Roland said. "We had the ability to run credit cards this time."

Roland was amazed at how different the crowd looked this year. "I see more and more new people," he said.

The event has grown through word of mouth, Roland said. He met some Huntsville, Alabama, residents taking part in the event. They heard about it and "stopped at Walgreens and picked up some Santa outfits."

Mustache Bash

Instead of wearing Santa suits, guys wore mustaches at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium in Cordova.  Firefighters, families and friends gathered for the annual Mustache Bash, held Dec.4.

Proceeds from this year's event — about $3,400 — went to John Foote, said fellow Memphis Fire Department firefighter Stephen Zachar. "He's been fighting leukemia for almost two years," Stephen said.

The party also launched the 901 Firefighters' Foundation, which is headed up by Stephen, Bartlett Fire Department firefighter Jensen Pilant and Memphis Fire Department firefighter/paramedic Lauren Farr.

The purpose of the foundation is to "provide assistance for firefighters who work in this area," Stephen said. "For whatever their needs are. If it's money, whatever, they can come to us, and we can try to help meet their needs or give them whatever assistance financially. For example, there was a little girl that came by the party. She's got lymphoma. Her dad's a Memphis firefighter. So we're in the process of putting together a kickball tournament for her sometime this spring."

It's not limited to firefighters, but also to first responders, Stephen said. "Police officers in the community — we're going to take care of them, too."

Stephen left the fire department last March and moved to the Denver metro area and worked for another fire department because of "what was going on in the city with the benefits and everything they were cutting. The pension has problems. The insurance has problems. The city is violent. We have all these negatives. I moved away because I thought it was better for me and my family."

But he moved back seven months later. "I realized the people in the city are awesome. I want to make a difference. Instead of being angry about the City Council, race problems, violence, I want to make a stand and do something better for the community. We can help take care of each other and also do projects within the city itself. Maybe a coat drive for the Memphis Union Mission. Clean up some of the blight in the neighborhood. Things to help the community not just as a firefighter, but somebody raising children in the community. The purpose of it is to try to do what we can to take care of each other no matter what the city politics are. And how to make the city an environment I'm proud to raise my children in."

St. Jude Marathon

Just like everybody lives happily ever after in a good storybook, the St. Jude Marathon included a few marriage proposals.

One of the couples was Interim general manager Daniel Alston and Rachel Bird, a radiology student at Southwest Tennessee Community College and a bartender/server at Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill.

After running 26 miles during the race, held Dec. 4, Daniel had enough energy to drop to his right knee and propose to Rachel at the finish line in AutoZone Park. "I got her a VIP pass," Daniel said. "My family's here, and they were helping me. Her mom and my dad and her sister. So the race organizers let her put the medal on me. It was very nice."

Bird wondered why everyone was so excited for Daniel to cross the finish line. "They were counting down every tenth of a mile," she said.

Toward the end of the race, fellow runners were saying, "It's almost over," Alston said. "For me, it was just about to begin."

Following the race, Daniel (still in his running gear), Rachel and family and friends celebrated at Majestic Grille.