Brian Tallon wasn’t sure what to expect when he started NorthWest Santa this year.

All he knew was that he wanted to provide children in the Auburn area with a taste of his childhood back in the Philadelphia area – a home visit from the jolly old elf himself.

“When we were younger and lived out there, there was a program like that there,” Tallon, 41, said. “This program is really just to have Santa visit houses and young kids to get a personalized visit.”

According to Tallon, he got together with other members of his family and began hashing out the details of NorthWest Santa.

“We decided that it was something that was missing out here and challenged each other to get it going,” he said. “There are quite a few people involved now, but it started with my family.”

Soon, the donations began coming in, and Tallon was able to organize three teams of Santas, complete with an elf, driver and helper.

“And we have dozens of donors and people who do the other types of things,” he said. “For example, we have a wrapped toy for every child that we visit. That doesn’t come easy.”

When Tallon and NorthWest Santa unveiled their Web site at www.nwsanta.org, where people can register to get a visit from Santa, he expected a modest response.

“We had anticipated that we might visit 20 to 25 kids, but when the word got out about what we were doing, well, we’re now up over 200 kids,” Tallon said. “Fortunately, the people who have backed us have donated a lot of toys, a lot of gifts. We’re going to be able to give every child we visit a gift.”

According to Tallon, who is a Santa for one of the teams, the requirements for receiving a visit are few.

“The only thing that we ask is that they have to be in the area we cover,” he said. “The only other thing we ask is that the kids are 10 or under.”

Tallon said the Santa teams currently cover the communities of Auburn, Bonney Lake, Sumner, Algona, Pacific, Edgewood, Sumner, Orting and Milton.

“We’re finding that they come from all over socio-economically,” Tallon said. “We have one family that’s living in a motel because they can’t afford a house, and we’ve got some of the more wealthy areas. We don’t really restrict or pry into that. We’re just here to give the kids a visit.”

Because of the volume of visits scheduled this year, Tallon said the logistics of getting out to more than 200 houses in two days are brutal.

“It’s pretty intense because we were planning on have 20, 25 kids and now we’re at 200,” Tallon said. “We’re spending quite a bit of time trying to map out the right routes and figure out any special requirements people may have. We’re doing the best we can at scheduling around those.”

Tallon hopes to expand the program in upcoming years.

“Since this is our first year, each of the crews are providing their own costumes,” he said. “Since it’s getting a lot bigger than we thought it would be, as soon as Christmas is over we’re going to start working on non-profit status and getting those types of things provided.

“There have been a lot donors, exclusively individuals, who have handed us checks to help,” Tallon said. “And none of it has been solicited. Everyone who has donated has found out about us and contacted us and asked to help.”

Despite the amount of work involved, Tallon said it’s all worth it when he sees the kids’ eyes light up when Santa walks through the door.

“The cool thing is the kids,” he said. “Their eyes pop right open, they really love to see Santa. That’s what we’re all about is giving them that experience. All the kids can go to the mall and see Santa, but then they’re just one of 100 kids standing in line. What we’re trying to do is make that more personal.”

Auburn resident Paul Kvamme also dons the red suit to help out.

“I’ve been doing it on and off for a number of years, started in Montana with the Boys and Girls Club and did it a little here for churches,” Kvamme said. “But I didn’t expect to put the suit back on until I meet Brian. His idea that every child deserves a visit from Santa is pretty cool.”

Kvamme added that the idea of doing “something without receiving any reward,” also factors into the donation of his time at Christmas.

Already this year, Tallon said that the organization has brightened the holidays for several people, including a visit to the Bonney Lake Senior Center as well as a party for the Lakewood Police Department, which suffered the loss of four officers in a shooting last month.

Initially, Tallon said, the department was going to cancel its annual party.

“At the last minute they decided to reschedule it and have it,” he said. “And they had seen our Web site and the assistant chief’s wife contacted us and asked if we could do it and have Santa come down. We were fortunate enough to be able to go down on Saturday and be at their Lakewood Police Christmas party.”

“Santa and Santa’s helpers have to be cheery all the time, but it was hard,” Tallon added. “Everybody maintained their composure, but it was a really moving event.”

And for Tallon and Kvamme, the reason they take time out of the year to brighten the holiday for children is simple.

“We do it because someone did it for us,” Tallon said. “When I was young someone did it for me and when I got married and had kids someone did it for them.”

“I remember talking with my dad, and he remembered when Santa came to visit him when he was a kid,” Kvamme said. “If that’s the kind of memory that sticks with you for 76 years, then I want to be a part of that.”