Don Kennedy
Don Kennedy lives in Makaha Valley on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. He was a long time resident of Nevada: Las Vegas, Reno and Lake Tahoe. He's a member of the Hawaii Writer's Guild.
Kennedy was born and raised in Wisconsin and is a graduate of Concordia College in Milwaukee. He was a Congressional Page in the U.S. House of Representatives to Foreign Relations Chairman Congressman Clement J. Zablocki, staff assistant to Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Martin J. Schreiber and an elected member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
A radio and television on air personality for a decade, Kennedy also worked for many publications as a reporter, editor and publisher in Nevada.
His next career was as a Casino Resort Marketing executive for 35 years in seven states: Nevada, California, Oregon, New Mexico, Louisiana, Indiana and Oklahoma. A 2015 Roast/Toast of Kennedy is on YouTube: Don Kennedy Roast Primm NV.
The Hawaii Writers Guild also featured Kennedy on their YouTube Talk Story/Book reading EP 25 in June 2021.
Kennedy is the author of the 2019 book Kids Say The Darndest Things To Santa Claus, the 2020 book, same title, Volume 2, and Volume 3 in 2022 which chronicle his 25 years as a volunteer Santa Claus for hospitals, women's & children's shelters, military bases, boys & girls clubs, churches, schools, wildfire victims shelters and more. Volume 1 won the Readers' Favorite 2020 International Book Awards Honorable Mention Award for Non Fiction - Children. Volume 2 won the Literary Excellence 2021 International Book Excellence Awards Finalist Award for Non Fiction - Humor as well as the Silver Award in the 2020 Kops-Fetherling International Book Awards for Humor. Volume 3 won the Silver Global Book Award, Incipere Book Award and Book Excellence Award. and All 3 books have received 5 Star Book Reviews from the Readers' Favorite book review panel.
Kennedy enjoys reading, music and travel. He has 2 brothers, 2 nieces, one nephew, and great nieces and great nephews. His passion has been serving as a volunteer Santa Claus for almost 30 years for all those who need to be seen and heard at Christmas.
Published Books
Kids Say the Darndest Things to Santa Claus: 25 Years of Santa Stories
When Don Kennedy's friend, a volunteer Santa Claus, fell ill the night before a Boys & Girls Club Christmas party, he asked Don to put on the red suit and beard in his place. What was originally meant to be a temporary gig turned into a passion, and Don began to volunteer for organizations that didn't have the funds to hire a Santa—children's hopsitals, military bases, women's and children's shelters, schools, churches, and everything in between. After asking children what they want for Christmas for 25 years, he's heard just about everything, and here compiles the best of the best.
Kids Say The Darndest Things To Santa Claus Volume 2: 25 Years of Santa Stories
When Don Kennedy's good friend, a volunteer Santa Claus, got ill the night before a large Boys & Girls Club holiday party, he convinced Don to put on the Santa suit and go in his place; what started out as a onetime gig turned into a lifetime passion. For 25 years, Don has been a volunteer Santa for charitable and community organizations that didn't have the funds to hire a Santa. After listening to children's wishes, hopes and dreams, Santa Don has heard it all. This book contains the best of the best Santa stories, over 250 in all. Santa tells all!
Kids Say The Darndest Things To Santa Claus Volume 3: 25 Years of Santa Stories
Santa Don, author Don Kennedy, is back with volume 3 of his series, KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS TO SANTA CLAUS; 25 Years of Santa Stories. What started, almost 30 years ago, with Don filling in for a volunteer Santa friend who got a bad virus, turned into a lifetime passion. Santa Don has filled the special role of jolly old St. Nick at Christmastime at hospitals, military bases, women's and children's centers, schools, churches, Boys and Girls Clubs, wildfire victim shelters, community centers and more.
