Readers deliver more than $82,000 to Santa

Item readers donating to the Item Santa Fund put on a full court press over the holiday week, and donations as of today are approaching $83,000.The exact figure is $82,634.02 – which is a far cry from what it was in the days leading up to Christmas.Despite having his customary Santa Island in Wyoma Square closed down due to construction in the area, Lynn funeral director David J. Solimine has accounted for much of that money through his collections in Magrane Square and other drives he’s conducted, including a celebrity bartender night on Dec. 23 at the Four Winds.Although Christmas has passed, the Salvation Army, which is the beneficiary of the Item Santa drive, still has a need for any contributions. You can contribute by writing out a check to the Salvation Army Item Santa. Mail it to the Item Santa Fund, PO Box 5, Lynn, 01903.We are publishing a large list of donors on Page A6 of today’s edition.Aside from the uncertainty of the Santa’s Island situation, a short collection season and several intense nor’easters are believed to have contributed to a drop in donations from a year ago.