Community Corner
Deputies Stand In For Santa: Santa Cruz County
A collaboration with Santa ensured each child who wrote a note to him got a surprise, hand-delivered gift.
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — Santa Cruz County deputies were not about to let kids down on Christmas.
Earlier this month, a mailbox was placed in the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office lobby — with express shipping to the North Pole.
"We invite our young community members or those who are young at heart to mail a letter to Santa," the sheriff's office said.
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Letters with wishlists had to be dropped off by Dec. 20, and they had to have a valid return address. About 50 letters were received, according to Ashley Keehn, public information officer for the sheriff's office.
The Santa Cruz County Deputy Sheriffs' Association collaborated with Santa to ensure each child who wrote a note got a surprise, hand-delivered gift.
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The association's kindness was greatly appreciated. The sheriff's office used to have a partnership with Toys "R" Us for its annual holiday "shop with a sheriff" program, but after the retailer shuttered its locations the shopping tradition ended.
"We decided to do something else this season!" Keehn explained.
"A big thank you to our DSA for making this happen," the sheriff's office said.
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