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EAST MONTGOMERY COUNTY – For the 12th year in a row, law enforcement agencies, firefighters, local businesses and other volunteers in East Montgomery County have combined their efforts to provide Christmas presents for children who would otherwise have nothing.
The event known as “Santa’s Kids” was held on Friday at Bull Sallas Park in New Caney, where hundreds of kids received their Christmas gifts. Santa arrived with an MCSO patrol escort, inside an MCSO vehicle, before the excited children sat on his lap, one by one and had their pictures taken. Of course, some children were also seen having their photos taken with another familiar character, Sheriff Tommy Gage.
The tradition began in 1997 when some members of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, District 3, decided to combine efforts to help some area children who they knew were not going to have a Christmas. The Office of Precinct 4 Constable Rowdy Hayden, formerly of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, also contributed to the effort this year.
The event has grown to include more and more people on the giving and receiving sides, with around 350 kids helped in 2008 and even more this year.
All of the children receive gifts and many of them receive bicycles, which were assembled by volunteers from the New Caney Fire Department. Their task was especially selfless this year, since it was performed outside on the day when EMC had sleet and snow.
