NC veteran’s mission is to spread cheer as Santa, with filmmaker buddy’s help.
Cash or coal?
To shoppers at Mighty Dollar on Union Road Dec. 12, Santa posed the question before inviting them to crank open a box to see what they won.
At least 100 people lined up for a free customer appreciation raffle ticket. If their number was called, they could choose among new Apple laptop computers, Roku 32-inch HD TVs, drones, Marvel Spidey and His Amazing Friends with water cannon toys and any of dozens of other items Santa brought to the store.
Each winner then faced the pop-up box before the crowd.
Would cash spring out, or coal?
Each time, at least 10 single dollar bills shot into the air, and the startled shopper bent to pick them up. Kids helped find the stray ones. No coal anywhere.
“Magical moment to remember”
Shoppers of all ages took home a prize, as Santa, steadfast as he boiled in his suit, gave away gifts for hours.
“No matter what’s inside the box, one thing is guaranteed,” 80-year-old Army veteran and “secret Santa” Joe Mayes of Gastonia said. “Laughter, joy and a magical moment to remember.”
Mayes, who owns J&G Fence Co. of Gastonia, partnered in the effort with longtime pal Tim Greene, actor, film director and writer, and motivational speaker.
The pair met years ago at Gaston College radio station WSGE 91.7 FM.
Greene was a morning radio personality, music director and assistant program director at the station. Mayes has hosted a Saturday afternoon shag and beach music show for 15 years — without pay.
Years ago, Greene was a personality on the former Kiss 102 in Charlotte.
“I have been in Charlotte back and forth since there was only one tall building in uptown, so I have seen how Charlotte has grown,” he told The Charlotte Observer.
Greene helped with a similar giveaway in Atlanta Dec. 20.
“Journalists call me the ‘Walt Disney of Hip Hop’ because all of my projects feature no guns or cursing,” he said. “I have gifted over 400 laptop computers to students in need, but I have stopped counting.”
Greene and Mayes funded the Dec. 12 giveaway from their own pockets, they told the Observer at the increasingly packed Mighty Dollar.
“It’s fun to see the reaction,” Santa says
Mayes served stateside after being drafted during the Vietnam War. Strep throat kept the 20-year-old at Fort Bragg, despite wanting to be with his buddies from the former Cool Springs High in Statesville who fought the Viet Cong, he said. One of his pals died in battle, he said.
He followed orders by becoming an Army cook after his illness.
“I have what they call survivor’s guilt,” he said.
His mission now is to spread cheer, he said.
“We’ve done it a lot of places this year, and it’s fun,” Mayes said, interrupting his train of thought at Mighty Dollar to say, “I’m out of breath, and hot, too,” in his stuffy Santa suit.
“It’s fun to see the reaction of people when they see the cash come out,” he said. “And I know one guy who said he’d rather have the cash than the turkey, so we all like cash, right?”
“I love the smiles on people’s faces,” he said, when bills burst from the box and fall like confetti.
Mayes dangled small bags of coal in front of the shoppers at first. “We hope you don’t win any of this,” he said to laughter.
Vondetta Davis of Charlotte was the first winner of the day and chose a Roku HD Smart TV.
“I’ll be all right if I don’t win,” she whispered to an Observer reporter moments before pulling the lever on the box and watching the cash float in the air. “I come in here all the time. This is an exciting day. It’s wonderful.”
“This is sort of an extension of helping the community,” Mayes said. “Sharing, giving, and enjoying the Christmas season. There’s so many people hurting, and our opportunity to help them out is a good thing.”
This story was originally published December 25, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "NC veteran’s mission is to spread cheer as Santa, with filmmaker buddy’s help.."