The house at the corner of Wayne and Morris Streets has arched brick columns on its front porch that, for a few magic weeks in December, open up to Santa’s home at the North Pole. A family with wide-eyed preschoolers in tow was just leaving as I arrived to have my own session with Santa, aka Glenn Toothman. I found him in jolly repose in his easy chair surrounded by all the props of the season, including a comfy pillow-strewn couch for families to gather around for free photo-ops.
And yes, the beard is real.
Toothman is a card-carrying member of FORBS (Fraternal Order of Real Bearded Santas), a role he cheerfully accepted “about five years ago. I was growing older and gaining a little extra weight around my middle. And from my days of working in the coal mine, it was common for me to give up shaving in the winter.” When the beard started turning white, kids started taking notice. One December day in Walmart, Toothman was browsing the toy aisle when he heard a little girl ask in a loud whisper, “Momma, is that Santa Claus?” “Well, that was when I realized my new intended public service! Instead of being totally discouraged about my weight gain and whitening hair, I realized God was just transitioning me into a legitimate Santa.”
Toothman found FORBS online and realized he could make the cut if he continued growing his beard. Admission into this select club includes attending eight weeks of online Santa training to fully embrace the spirit of his new persona. After completing background clearances and creating a Santa profile and resume, Good Santa Glenn began booking with agents both locally and as far away as California.
Back at home and here on the porch, local families can make reservations at set times on the Facebook account Good Santa Glenn. “It gets to be a very busy time of year attending local functions under arrangements made months in advance and offering the scheduled photo opportunities.”
When Santa Season is over, the positivity that makes Toothman such a jolly old elf remains. There’s a happy, adventuresome kid still lurking in the man who values the power of positivity in whatever project he takes on. “I try to build a better world. One way or another.”
Toothman admits, “I’m so appreciative of the way my parents raised me. They were well educated but didn’t tell us what to do. They let us learn for ourselves.”
Eight-year-old Glenn once rode his bicycle to his grandmother’s house in Holbrook, lured by her wonderful cookies. When he called his mom, looking for a ride home, “She said how did you get there? And I said I rode my bike. And she said if it’s good enough to get you out there, it’s good enough to get you home!”
The kid who could ride his bike from Waynesburg to Holbrook and back would grow up to be a champion runner in high school and graduate with a law degree from Duquesne University. He would return home to take on many roles in the community, from lawyer to District Attorney to historian, as well as author and creator of the Memory Medallion—and more.
When I reached out to Toothman for this story in mid November, he was wearing his other hat, that of a historical researcher at the National Archives in Washington, DC. This is the Glenn I’ve known and admired for years; he’s the guy who knows local history and doesn’t mind sharing. Our paths continually cross at the Cornerstone Genealogical Society in Waynesburg. When I stop by to research my stories about the towns, villages and people of the area, there’s a good chance I’ll find him there.
“I am currently on a research project at the National Archives and not back in Waynesburg until Sunday, but available by phone almost any time this week,” he texted me when I reached out. The message also included Good Santa Glenn’s official FORBS membership for 2024 along with a shot of the backdrop his brother Farley was setting up at Farleys Hotel Café for the upcoming Holiday Open House in Waynesburg. Kids of all ages—including me!—would be there to enjoy free ice cream, compliments of Milton Hershey School. Representatives were set up on the front porch with plenty of Hershey kisses scattered on the table along with brochures describing MHS as a cost free private school for boys and girls age 4-15 from low-income backgrounds. It was a great chance to add the promise of quality education, a structured home life and a chance to attend college for free to someone’s wish list as Good Santa Glenn slipped through the back door and settled in to hear what other presents are super hot this year. There would be a steady stream of kids, parents and the flash of smart phone cameras until closing time.
A few Sundays later, I got my chance to visit with Good Santa Glenn on his front porch.
After discussing all things Santa, Toothman filled me in on the latest project he’s working on at the National Archives: tracking down the Civil War pension records of Greene County veterans, finding the names of those who requested benefits, adding these important details to the genealogical record keeping of Greene Connections. This includes occasional eye opening glimpses into the private lives of ancestors, like the names of multiple wives writing for the pension benefits of the same soldier. Good Santa Glenn chuckled. “I tell people don’t be surprised at what you might find when you start doing your family history. They were people just like people are today.”
One last question: how do you spread your quality time between Waynesburg and Washington, DC? That’s quite a drive!
The answer is Santa’s Magic Sleigh: Amtrak and the Internet.
Good Researcher Glenn drives to Connellsville on Monday, parks for free at the train station, scans the $56 one-way ticket in his smart phone, then settles in for a 6-hour ride to Union Station and the Metro that can take him anywhere he needs to go.
“I take it easy on Monday, work from Tuesday until Thursday and come home Friday.” Another grin. “It’s a great way to get to DC and I highly recommend it!”