GREEN BAY, Wis. — ’Tis the season for gift giving, and gift creating. Rick Brunner, founder of Rick’s Toy-box is far from the North Pole but still making Christmas magic happen.

The woodman’s by hobby, turned a favorite pastime into a life’s passion.

“I had some health issues, [and] because of it, I needed to stop working,” said Brunner. “After about 5 years, I needed to start focusing on my health issues and try to get back to normal.”

The first step in Brunner’s normalcy was creating a favorite; wooden toy cars.

“I don’t make toys, I make smiles,” said Brunner. “The person I give this to could be the person that is delivering this toy. They see the quality of the toy and think, 'wow, what an impact!'"

Brunner started donating his toy cars to missionaries that delivered the toys to children in third-world countries around the world. 

“They have an opportunity to be a kid instead of a provider for their family,” said Brunner. “We’re talking about a 7 or 8-year-old providing for their family and for a brief moment they can be a kid.”

He keeps track of every location drop off with a map on his wall. He marks each place with a pin, and it's a reminder of the reach he hopes to continue. 

“The black dots are where I shipped to different countries, like mission trips,” said Brunner.

More recently, Rick’s Toys became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. With this status, donations became more accessible to keep the mission free of cost for all recipients. Local major chain stores like Home Depot and Walmart help Brunner with equipment and supplies. 

Step by step, Brunner takes that small block of wood and carefully shapes and sands every edge, making sure his toy cars roll smoothly. 

Making at least a dozen cars daily, Brunner, whose long white beard and jolly laugh resemble Santa Claus, said he works the rest of the 364 days of the year.

“Many people can be Santa,” said Brunner. “Santa is the art of giving.”

Brunner also donates to local hospitals, police departments and missionaries throughout the year. He hopes to expand his organization and eventually add volunteers to continue sharing the art of wood making and the magic of gifting. 

For more information or Rick’s Toy Box, click here.