Suwannee Valley Times is distributed into the following cities and towns: Lake City, Live Oak, Madison, Branford, Dowling Park, Falmouth, Lee, Wellborn, Jasper, White Springs, Fort White, High Springs and Alachua

Elf on the ROOF?

By Tami Stevenson

What’s this? An elf on the roof? What roof? 
An elf has reportedly been spotted hanging around Walt’s Live Oak Ford the past few days. Turns out, once the Walt’s team finally caught him, his name is Rocky and he just wants to help kids.

Walt’s GM Bryan Blair and Rocky the elf stopped long enough for a photo while planning the fundraiser for this weekend. Look for the elf on the roof! -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson

His story was so compelling, the folks at Walt’s decided to help Rocky. 
But he wants to live on the roof? Elves can be strange sometimes, but they agreed.

So Rocky will be camping out on the roof at Walt’s Live Oak Ford, from Friday, December 20 thru Sunday, December 22, to raise funds and winter clothing by Christmas for Suwannee County’s underprivileged and at risk kids.

Rocky says nothing will stop him, not rain, not sleet or even snow, he is going to live on the roof for 3 days, because, as he puts it, “It’s all about the kids.”

“If someone drives by to say hello at 2 am, I’ll pop my head up and say, ‘Hi,’” Rocky said.

He will be equipped with a little tent for shelter, a fishing rod and a bucket. If someone wants to make a monetary donation, he will lower the bucket with his fishing rod to retrieve the donation. Anyone wishing to write a check, can make it out to NCF ROCK.

They will also have one of Walt’s trucks there and if people want to bring new hoodies, sweatshirts, jackets, shoes, gloves, toboggan hats, socks, etc. Any size, boys and girls, they can put them in the bed of the truck.

Rocky’s true identity, Shhh!… Is Berry Raulerson, a Suwannee County School Resource Deputy from the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office. He is part of NCF ROCK (North Central Florida Resource Officers Caring for Kids), a non-profit 501c3 organization formed by Suwannee County School Resource Deputies.

“All the money, every bit goes toward helping the kids in Suwannee County,” said Raulerson. “We have a treasurer, we vote on everything we decide, we help burn-out victims that have been burned out of their house. We’re actually helping a family right now with that. They lost just about everything.”

They are asking the community to help make this fundraiser a success by stopping by Walt’s Live Oak Ford with a donation this weekend.

As a school resource officer, he sees the need first hand.
“The youth of our community desperately need help,” he added. They are hoping to raise $5,000