Last Saturday the officers from the Southport Police Department and students from various Perry Township schools came together to make the holidays for their classmates and other students in the district. For the first time, SPD collaborated with the Perry Township police officers, hosted their Christmas with the Kids event where select students and their parents ate breakfast with officers then received a police escort to the Meijer in Greenwood where they were able to shop with officers.
In addition to the shopping, volunteers and around 130 officers will be passing our hundreds of toys through their Toys for Tots program. In total, 1,700 kids will receive Christmas gifts.
“We wanted to help the kids we know are struggling with the pandemic and the kids that we see everyday,” Chief Thomas Vaughn said.
The Holiday efforts are dedicated to and in memory of fallen officers Lt. Aaron Allan and Trooper James Patrick Bartram as well as Kim Bartram Vanjelgerhuis, the sister of Bartram, who created a foundation that supports families in need during the holiday season.