Troopers spread Christmas cheer

Part 2 of a 3-part story

Sr. Tpr. Cari Boyd of the Oregon State Police bonds with
two special girls during the Shop with a Cop event.

AAST was once again proud to contribute funds to two Oregon Shop with a Cop events during the holidays. The Albany and Newport Area Commands requested AAST’s financial assistance for this worthwhile annual event which pairs needy children with law enforcement officers for a Christmas shopping experience.

Albany troopers, along with police officers from local agencies, participated in Shop with a Cop on December 6 at the Corvallis Kmart, where 87 children shopped for Christmas gifts for themselves and family members.

“The children's joy was evident by their continual thanks and by the smiles on their faces,” said Lt. Mark Cotter of the Albany area command. “This is the 14th year of the event and one we troopers look forward to each year.”

Albany troopers participated in a second event, helping 127 children shop for Christmas gifts, while OSP troopers in Newport helped 65 area children.

Santa (Ssgt. Potter), Lt. Catullo, and Ssgt. Cruz of the
New Jersey State Police visit a patient at St Peter’s
University Hospital as part of Project Santa.

On the opposite side of the country, New Jersey troopers were also spreading holiday cheer as several troopers visited pediatric patients to deliver gifts and smiles on Christmas Eve. State troopers set aside their regular patrol duties to become part of Project Santa, where they distributed over 300 toys and gifts to patients at St. Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick.

The troopers, all wearing Santa hats, escorted Santa (SSgt. Brian Potter) into the hospital, packing trooper-sized gift sacks. The group even donated a laptop computer to the hospital’s cancer wing for those children confined to bed during their treatment.

Lt. Robert Catullo started Project Santa two years ago as a way to get troopers involved in an event that would show the “other side” of troopers, because many times people only see troopers as serious and stern. It is important to Catullo that the kids and their families see the troopers’ compassionate side, and the smiles on the kids’ faces are evidence that the goal is being accomplished.

Arizona troopers deliver a Christmas bear
to a hospitalized child the week of Christmas.

For the 15th year in a row, Arizona Department of Public Safety officers distributed Christmas teddy bears to hundreds of hospitalized children statewide.

Sponsored by the Arizona Highway Patrolman Association, DPS officers fanned out across the state the week of Christmas, bringing joy to hundreds of sick kids who couldn’t be home with their families at Christmastime. Over the years DPS officers have visited over 1,600 hospitalized kids during the holidays.

Officers in Tucson visited children in the Pediatric Wards at both the Tucson Medical Center and at University Medical Center, and in Phoenix, DPS officers armed with Christmas bears visited kids at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, and the Maricopa Medical Center.

The third part of this three-part series will run February 27-March 5. Previous portions may be viewed by clicking the “Previous Feature Stories” button.

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