Valley Santa Cops will be busier this year

WASILLA — If the downturn in the economy is hurting charitable giving this year, the Santa Cop program hasn’t noticed.

“It looks like each senior is getting seven gifts or more,” said Donna Anthony, the Palmer Police Department investigator who coordinates the program every year.

And that’s even despite the program growing this year to include more than 120 seniors — more than double last year’s count of 56. That tally may grow or shrink, Anthony said, and right up until Christmas morning is a work in progress.

“Since Saturday, we’ve added 15 more seniors,” Anthony said Monday. But, on the flipside, “I’ve had 12 pass away in the last two weeks.”

She said this time of year can get very difficult for seniors living alone.

“It’s hard for them to hold on,” Anthony said.

The outpouring of support has been amazing. It’s by far the program’s biggest year, Anthony said. BP donated $5,000 that hit the program’s accounts Monday. The Primrose Retirement Community held a gala fundraiser with a gift or donation the cost of admission. Numerous other businesses have stepped up.

And then there are the volunteers. Since Santa Cop asks that donated presents not be wrapped, each year they stage a wrapping party, usually at a police station. This year’s had to be moved to the Palmer Train Depot. And even that venue wasn’t quite big enough to hold all the volunteers.

Nor was the noon to 5 p.m., time slot enough time to get everything wrapped. Anthony said they’ll finish up with a second wrapping party at a volunteer’s house.

In addition to those seven gifts each, Anthony said, seniors who need them will get Wal-Mart gift cards. Others will get vouchers for utilities or, if they need it, firewood. And everyone’s getting a meal.

“We are working with the Palmer Senior Center and Christmas Eve we are making the meals and then the next day we’re picking them up and we will be delivering warm meals,” Anthony said.

It all comes together on Christmas Day. Anthony said the plan is to start at 9 a.m. dropping gifts off for distribution at the Palmer Police Department, move to the Wasilla Police department at 10 a.m., then head to Houston at 11 a.m.

Officers — and, this year for the first time firefighters — will then load those gifts up and deliver them personally to each senior on their list.

Anthony said the officers doing the deliveries are all off-duty and will have about a half-dozen names on their list. That way they can spend a bit of time talking to seniors — which has proven in the past to be one of the most important parts of the whole event since so many seniors are living alone and appreciate having visitors. If all goes according to plan, all the officers will also have some time left over for their own families.

In the end, Anthony said, it will hopefully bring a little Christmas cheer to some Valley residents who might otherwise be alone for the holidays.

“The seniors are going to have a better Christmas than me,” she joked.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.