The Orofino (Idaho) PD is again organizing Christmas 911, an agency project started a year ago "with the idea of providing full Christmas dinners and gifts to families in our area who were experiencing hardship and most likely would not have much for Christmas," according to Chief Jeff Wilson.
"We collected donations from businesses and community members and raised over $5,000 in just six days in the two weeks prior to Christmas," Wilson wrote in a letter announcing the project for 2010. "We were able to provide meals and nice gifts to 16 families.
The meals included turkeys, hams, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, rolls, vegetables, milk, and desserts. The gifts were age appropriate for all children in the family under the age of 18.
Officers, school officials, and other community members made the deliveries just two days prior to Christmas Day. In the past year, Christmas 911 has received tax-exempt status and is expected to expand this year to provide the food and gifts to as many as 40 families.
Also this year, Erik Estrada, star of "CHiP's," will be donating an undisclosed amount of toys and has issued a Toys for Tots challenge: Whoever donates more toys or cash that exceeds the value of toys being donated by Erik will receive a signed ornament from "Ponch" plus a free Tigerlight T100 Non-Lethal Defense System.
"You can never be armed and safe enough," says Estrada.
Estrada filmed "Armed & Famous" for CBS in Muncie, Ind., in the winter of 2006-07. He and several other celebrities patrolled the city as reserve officers.
To contact Chief Jeff Wilson:
Orofino Police Department
P.O. Box 2603
217 1st Street
Orofino, Idaho 83544
(208) 476-5551
JWilson@Orofinopd.com
