If you are local, you probably remember for decades that Jack True Senior, the Santa of Chapman Street, would sit on his porch and children from miles around would drive by to see Santa. In Greensboro, Santa was real. Mr. True, the True Santa,  left us in 2003 and he is missed greatly by his family, friends, and the children whose lives he brightened. The family has a sign in his honor and son Roger continues to decorate for holidays to keep his dad’s memory alive.

If you have time this weekend, drive by and see a little bit of Greensboro’s holiday history (on the Spring Garden Street end of Chapman). Somehow, the scene is more impactful at night, when darkness envelops the little white house and the light-up decorations are aglow.

In the 1980s, the community rallied to help the True family continue to afford to live in the house. The gesture was in deep appreciation of the love Mr. True extended to all who believed. Helping others and giving back to the community is deeply ingrained in the spirit of Greensboro. Community service has been a tradition here for as long as anyone can remember.