December 15, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
Members of the Smithville Police Department, Santa, and others paid a visit to the Head Start Center Friday morning to help spread a little Christmas cheer.
Through the annual “Cops4kids” program, the police department joins with Cash Express and other partners to collect and distribute toys for Christmas gift giving especially to Head Start kids.
Friday morning’s program at the Smithville Head Start Center, featured some holiday musical entertainment for the children by the Collins family and Ryan Huling of the New Life United Pentecostal Church shared the Christmas story. Police Chief Mark Collins and members of the police department made sure each child had a bag of toys. Santa dropped by to spend some time with the kids. Mayor Josh Miller and Alderman and Police Commissioner Shawn Jacobs were also part of the event.
The “Cops4Kids” program began in 2012 and has served Smithville Head Start children with gifts at Christmas time since 2015 along with others requesting and needing help through the Police Department’s Association with Cash Express and others.
“We put out the collection boxes at local businesses for toys, nonperishable food, clothing and money jars in addition to our annual Fill the Cop Car and Bake Sale event. The toys and money to buy toys are then given to the police department to be distributed to head start kids and others while the food collected goes to God’s Food Pantry. God’s Grace Ministries gets from us used toys, coats, clothes, etc,” said Athena Knauer of Cash Express. Thanks to the generosity of the community, the collection effort is so successful that it gives organizers a leg up for the following year’s event”.
“We have raised over $3,000 in monetary donations this year so we will soon go with Beth Adcock, records clerk at the police department, to purchase gifts for the head start for next year. For others needing help we also buy clothes, toys, etc. for them,” said Knauer.
Chief Collins said a special thanks goes to, among others, Cash Express, Mayor Miller, Alderman Jacobs, and the entire city council for their support.
“The department has enjoyed its partnership with Cash Express and a special lady in particular, Evelyn Woods, who donates gifts throughout the year. We are truly grateful for her support”, added Chief Collins.