A dedicated Rotary Club member and backer of many events that make Fredericksburg a special place to live year-round, Coker provides children in the city a direct mail line to the North Pole.
by Leigh Anne Van Doren
GUEST AUTHOR
Editor’s Note: This morning’s story is reprinted by permission from our sister publication, Fredericksburg Parent & Family.
If downtown Fredericksburg looks like a Hallmark Christmas special right now, it owes some of its vintage feel to John Coker. One of the most picturesque activities for the holidays is to bring your children down to the corner of George and Caroline streets to mail a letter to Santa. The Rappahannock Rotary club sponsors a Santa mailbox on the corner next to Fort Play with a special twist: Each letter gets an answer from Santa, Mrs. Claus, or the elves.
The amazing mailbox is one of the many projects the retired orthodontist has launched in Fredericksburg that celebrates seasonal holidays. Six years ago, Dr. Coker was inspired by an alumni newsletter from Ann Arbor, Michigan, that featured a Santa mailbox program. With the help of the Rotary club, he brought the program to Fredericksburg. Last year, more than 1,800 letters were received from area children, and they were all answered by members of the Rappahannock Rotary club, writing on behalf of Santa Claus.
Dr. Coker is known for being an involved grandfater and an involved Rotary member. He is the founder of the Scarecrow Fest events that entertain thousands of parents and children each Octoberr, including a Scarecrow Contest, a Halloween movie night, and Treats on the Streets. He also founded the Pancake Breakfast that the Rotary puts on every year on the day of the downtown Christmas parade.
He and his staff dressed up for all the holidays and he was famous for costumes.
He has coached his grandchildren’s sports teams, reads in their classrooms, and can be counted on to support the many Rotary projects that serve our community.
The [Fred Parent] cover this month features his three grandchildren, George, 12, Susanna, 9, and Kannon, 3. “With George, I like to play all sports. We play basketball, soccer, golf, baseball, and football. With Susanna, I like to shop. We love to walk into stores and check out everything from soaps, perfumes, and clothes. Kannon loves to play in my special closet, where I have games, toys, and puzzles for us to play.”
Fredericksburg takes its hat off to you, Dr. Coker, and we thank you for the hours of service and fun you have contributed to our town.
Look for our January Difference Maker in the next issue.
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Leigh Anne Van Doren is the publisher and founder of Fredericksburg Parent & Family Magazine. She also sits on the Board of FXBG Advance and serves on the Leadership team.
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Dr. Coker is awesome! He used to come into Hugh Mercer Elementary dressed up in different costumes to entertain the children during his grandchildren’s lunch times.
Dr. Coker is awesome! He used to come into Hugh Mercer Elementary dressed up in different costumes to entertain the children during his grandchildren’s lunch times.