Visalia Grinch hanging up his Santa sack after this year

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's the end of an era for a man known as the Visalia Grinch.

For the last 10 years, Van Crawford has put on the green Grinch suit and synced Christmas music with his dazzling display of lights, drawing hundreds of families to his home-- but now he's retiring.

In recent years, Crawford has collected cash donations and non-perishable food items for the Visalia Rescue Mission.

The Visalia Rescue Mission's Executive Director Al Oliver says Crawford has raised more than $30,000 and thousands of pounds of food for the non-profit.

Thursday night, they presented him with a special plaque for his generosity.

"It's about the kids, really," Oliver said. "And they learn something too. They learn to be generous, they learn to be openhearted."

"The Grinch-- he stole Christmas but then he gave it back," Crawford said. "So our whole purpose is to give back. And it's not about what you get, it's about what you give."

The lights will be on display through the month of December.

You can find the Visalia Grinch at 2331 South Jacques Street in Visalia.

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