Case Bruyr chugged down Iowa Street on Friday afternoon in his 1976 Lincoln Continental, which he calls Dolores. In his back seat, he carried an assortment of holiday items, including an artificial Christmas tree in a box, a stuffed Spider-Man toy, board games and a princess castle.

Dolores’ engine was knocking – “that’s a normal sound,” Bruyr said – and his car’s wipers wouldn’t shut off because the knob is broken.

Bruyr, a 22-year-old Kansas University dance major, makes $8 per hour as a worker in a group home for the disabled. But this holiday season, he’s spent about $500 out of his own pocket – and hours of his time – playing Santa for strangers.

The day before Thanksgiving, he posted a message on the Lawrence community Web site larryville.com under the name “coolcatcase,” in which he offered help to anyone who needed it.

Since then, he’s bought gifts, put up lights and delivered trees to about 70 people, and his online posting has been viewed more than 7,600 times.

“I’ve known what it’s like to need a hand,” he said. “Everyone’s poor at Christmastime.”

In the spirit

Bruyr is a member of the local theater community, and his credits include playing the henchman Lefou in last year’s Lawrence Community Theatre production of “Beauty and the Beast.”

The idea for his holiday spree came about in part because of his schedule. As a group home worker for Community Living Opportunities, he works three 12-hour shifts per week, Sunday through Tuesday.

Because Christmas falls on a Monday this year, he can’t make it home to be with his parents and two sisters in Hesston, north of Wichita.

“Christmas is really important to me,” he said. “I can’t go home, and I needed something to kick myself into the Christmas spirit.”

Others have offered to help and some have cautioned Bruyr to be careful for people looking to take advantage of his generosity. Then, there are those who are skeptical of his motives. That makes him laugh.

“There’s too many people out there willing to take advantage of people, but I’m not one,” he said. “I’m real.”

Case Bruyr, a Kansas University student from Hesston, purchases Christmas presents Friday from Deal's employee Sharon Andrews. Bruyr posted an advertisement on larryville.com, a local Web site, offering help to anyone who needed it. Bruyr bought a plastic castle set for a family on Friday.

Shopping for deals

The first person he helped was a woman who needed a Christmas tree and decorations. When she asked what she could do to thank him, he told her to post a message letting people know he’s legitimate.

He’s also hung lights for a woman who’s afraid of heights, delivered toys and helped people fix their cars by paying for the parts and convincing mechanics to donate their labor.

He estimated he has about 50 more requests on his list that he’s trying to get to. Sometimes it takes him awhile, especially for more expensive items.

“I’m looking really hard for two bus tickets to Hays for Christmas,” he said.

On a shopping trip Friday afternoon, Bruyr held a piece of paper in one hand and a basket full of board games in the other as he stood in the aisle at Deals, 3140 Iowa. In between calls on his cell phone – his ring tone is “Joy to the World” – he picked up a few more toys and an artificial tree he found at the store for $20.

Total tab for this trip: $37.56

The store was sold out of trees as of Friday because Bruyr had bought them all.

“I’m a deal finder,” he said. “Have to be.”

‘It means a lot’

After heading north on Iowa Street, Bruyr arrived at the home of Tonya Shaughnessy.

Days earlier, Shaughnessy had posted a message asking for help finding a Christmas tree for her 3-year-old son.

Shaughnessy says she had a string of hard luck. Her husband was out of work for four months earlier this year, and they depleted their savings. The day he got a new job, she said, she was laid off from her job at a title-insurance company in Topeka because of a slowdown in the housing market.

When Bruyr arrived at her front door, the Christmas tree box in hand, she gave him a hug.

“He’s the one that answered my call,” she said. “It means a lot.”

Before Bruyr left, she gave him three phone cards that she didn’t need and suggested that he pass them on. Bruyr said he knew of just the person who needed them.