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Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 | 11:53 a.m.
Beyond the Sun
Some of Las Vegas’ underprivileged children got an early visit from Santa Claus Saturday.
But Santa didn’t come in a sleigh with reindeer; he came in a Metro SWAT vehicle.
Santa’s visit was part of Metro Police’s annual Santa Cop event, held this year at the Target store at 278 S. Decatur Blvd.
More than 120 children participated in the event, which included photos with Santa.
The children were assigned to a Metro employee and taken on a shopping spree to pick their own gifts from the store. Police officers and other Metro employees nominate children they meet throughout the year for the program.
Metro employees raised more than $15,000 for the event.
While each child was given $130 in gift cards to use, Metro spokeswoman Barbara Morgan said she and many other Metro employees reached into their own pockets to help even more when they got to the Target cash register.
Morgan said she enjoyed shopping with the 6-year-old girl she was helping, and the event was an opportunity for the department to do something positive after some difficult events this year.
“It felt really good, it’s always nice to give back to the community,” she said.
“It was just a very festive feeling. Everyone could kind of take a sigh of relief -- it’s been a very tough year for us.”
And Morgan said the kids were more than happy to receive the gifts.
“These kids are just very appreciative,” she said. “This is just something they don’t usually get to do. They don’t usually get to pick and get what they want.”
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Very nice story. I like it. I love it. I want some more of it.
Just a little different than the story about the Mayor of a Major East coast City that stole all the gift cards from the poor to shop for herself.She is now on the inside.
Books: who was it? I gotsta know.
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon
John: Ah, the convicted thief! Thank you for your courtesy.
And lemme guess all the cops were on the clock and burning county gas
JSin
What a wonderful thing to do.
Isn't it a shame some maggots can find it in their stony little hearts to hiss from the sidelines, wassup, Santa not coming for you this year?
Jesus loves you.
Should someone run a funeral procession by this event??? course not because it would ruin people's fun....just like the metro procession down the strip was a bummer for people here to get married, have a good time, etc.
This is a very neat idea. Glad it went well and can citizen's donate to this fund for next year?
Actually the officers who participate in this are off duty, volunteering their own time. The officers who are on duty handle the calls for service from citizens. Metro has been doing this for at least 20 years. It started as Shop with a Cop back in the 80's.
I had this done for me when I was a child. It made me a better person, as an adult, to know someone cares. I gotta go do me Angel tree shopping this weekend. If you can, please help out, as well. Peace and love to you.