Carson City Sheriff’s Office deputies delivered Christmas gifts, including toys, scooters, clothing and other items Wednesday morning to children living with families at several local motels.
With a loudspeaker announcing their visit at each stop, children and their families stepped out of their units in the rain to greet sheriff’s deputies and staff, who also brought along their own children to help give out gifts.
The Christmas gifts were made possible from local donors and CCSO staff who make up the Carson City Deputy Sheriff’s Association, said SET Detective Jonathan Tripp. He explained that every Christmas Eve deputies and the association members have delivered toys to kids who live with their families in local motels.
“Over the years community members and businesses have donated as well as the Carson City Deputy’s Association contributing funds to buy toys and gifts this year,” said Detective Tripp.
With a U-Haul packed with gifts, deputies made stops at multiple local motels, inviting children to come out to receive them. Gifts included toys for all ages of boys and girls from toddlers on up, plus clothing, sports equipment, blankets, hygiene items and more.
Tripp noted that CCSO and its Streets and Special Enforcement Teams have been called to the motels throughout the years, often involving arrests of people for criminal activities. Their presence is well known at the motels, he said.
“This is our way as a street enforcement team to reach out to families and children living in these motels where they often see us doing enforcement. We want to let them know there is a heart to us and that is what we are here for today, to give to them in their time of need,” he said.
One parent living at a motel, John Stewart, brought his 7-year-old son Hunter to pick toys. Stewart said he was grateful for CCSO’s arrival Wednesday.
“We’ve been here a little over a year and it is hard to try to save money,” said Stewart. “I work a full time job but it has really been hard this year because of the prices the way they are and with the economy and everything else. This will help tremendously.”
Another parent, Greg Villegas, brought his 7-year-old daughter Mia, to receive gifts. The family lives at the Marlette Motel on North Carson Street.
Villegas said what CCSO did for them for this Christmas Eve is “pretty awesome,” adding that “Carson City sheriffs (deputies) are really cool. We’ve been here for a few years now and I want to thank them for what they did for us today.”
The Christmas giving tradition at local motels goes back several years and was originally started by then Carson City SET sergeant, now Assistant Sheriff Daniel Gonzales, who is also co-founder of the Holiday with a Hero program along is wife Meliah Gonzales, Sgt., Marshal for the First Judicial Marshal’s Division.
Later on Wednesday night the Carson City Sheriff’s Office Uniformed Reserves and volunteers will be out with Santa Claus (six Santas, eight elves and six drivers), making more than 230 pre-scheduled visits to homes throughout Carson City.
