Santa Cop and Heroes helps more than 100

PALMER - This year's Santa Cop and Heroes program shared holiday cheer with 115 seniors from Sutton to Willow. The 7-year-old program sends men and women in uniform to take presents and food to elderly residents throughout the Mat-Su on Christmas Day.

Last year, 154 seniors received help, according to Anita Cagle of the Palmer Police Department. Cagle wasn't sure what led to the drop this year.

Christmas Friendship Dinner prepared meals for the program, she said. Mat-Su Senior Services (formerly known as Palmer Senior Center) and members of the Lions and Elks clubs also helped out. The program is funded through fundraisers, grants and donations.

Agencies handing out the goodies were Palmer, Anchorage and Wasilla police departments; Alaska State Troopers; state Department of Corrections; probation officers; Palmer and Central Mat-Su fire and EMS squads; Houston, Willow and West Lakes fire departments; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This year, the program will keep giving with some contracted snowplowing and snow shoveling, along with help paying for emergency energy costs and firewood.