Project Outreach

I have pictures of an event that my Santa has been doing for close to 10 years now. I have done it the past 2 and my elf Scott joined us this year. So did Scott's wonderful girlfriend, Elaine, who was our unofficial, official photographer today. Project Outreach is a program that the Winter Haven Police Department does every Christmas. The local schools submit families that are in dire need of everything for Christmas. It's usually 8 to 10 families that are really deserving. The PD gives them enough food for a holiday meal, plus the kids usually need clothes. And Walmart actually donates $1500 towards it and this usually buys the toys. We had a family this year who needed sheets and blankets for their beds and of course they got those too. It's a wonderful thing the police officers do. The names of the children go on a wreath (kind of like the angel trees where you pick a name and buy what the child wants). The police officers "adopt" the kids for this project and buy them what they need and want. Most of this comes out of their own pockets. Hut and I have decided that this is going to be our pet project this year. To raise some $$ to put towards this wonderful program next year. I enjoyed it so much last year and this and so did Scott and Elaine. Santa always enjoys it. You can see how much these people appreciate the small things we are able to do for them. And I must say...riding in cool cars is a wonderful bonus. So here are some pictures from this event.

This is all the people who helped Project Outreach. This is a wonderful group of people.Santa, Mrs. C and the elf with one of the deserving families. There were 5 small children at this house.Another happy family. These guys got bikes as just one of their gifts. Santa trying to make friends with a little one. She wasn't too sure. This special family had a wheelchair bound child. There were 4 children with a single mom. Helping people like this enjoy a holiday that would otherwise be sad gives you such a good feeling. I just wish we do this for ALL deserving families, not just a select few. An officer brought up the point that all the billions of dollars spent on just advertisement for the Presidential election would have definitely taken care of alot of need families. This picture shows Officer Terry Bowden on the left, who makes this program happen. He is the DARE officer for Winter Haven. You also see Santa with a young lady who wouldn't have a Christmas without this program. The little boy in the front is Officer Charlie Bird's son who was along to help. The lady in the forground is Mrs. Waters. Her husband Buddy Waters is our Chief of Police. The Waters have been doing this for many years. As have most of the people who went with us today.I told you we got to ride in cool cars. This is a Lincoln that was confiscated from a drug dealer. The police department uses it for their DARE program. I got to ride in this one last year. Very neat. They have confiscated a truck this year from the same drug dealer. They are fixing it up to use for Dare also. Maybe I'll get to ride in that next year.This is Mrs. C and Elf Scott in front of the Charger. Santa got to ride in this last year. I really, really, really wanted to ride in it this year. Well Hut and I were talking to Officer Bird at another event about a week ago and it was mentioned that I have talked about nothing for a year except that I wanted to ride in the Charger. Well it was assigned an officer on duty today, but since Officer Bird is really Captain Bird, he pulled some strings and got it just so I could ride about it. So I've been bragging all day that Santa isn't the only one with pull around here. And Captain Lisa Ashbury gave me the keys when we got back to the police department and let me set in it and turn the lights on. I was like a kid in a candy store.Santa got to sit in it too, but this is a picture of me in it with the lights on.Under cover Mrs. C. Here I am behind the wheel with a badge. A real badge. Not mine though. Captain Bird's. We had such a good time. I can't wait to do it again next year and for many years to come.