The Comal County Sheriff’s Office continues Operation Green Santa this holiday season for the 19th year in a row.
The purpose of the outreach program is to provide Christmas gifts for underprivileged children, as well as Christmas dinner groceries for their families throughout Comal County. Operation Green Santa is for those families that fit the low-income criteria who live in the county but outside the New Braunfels city limits.
Applications are available through the Salvation Army and the Family Life Center at the Tree of Life Church. Once they are approved, the employee volunteers at the Sheriff’s Office begin to allocate donations toward gifts for each child in each family.
Donations are taken by the Sheriff’s Office, and while they prefer cash donations or gift cards, if someone has a particular gift in mind they believe a child might like, it should be donated unwrapped.
“It started out with Christmas baskets,” said Aida Martinez with the Sheriff’s Office. “Most of the money now comes from outside firms, groups and companies, as well as individual donations, and employees (at the Sheriff’s Office) give, too.”
So far, the program has 26 families approved to receive the gifts, totaling 79 children.
By the Dec. 4 deadline for donations and applications, the program hopes to have enough donations and families to reach 75 families.
“We average about 3.4 children per household,” said Roxana Pelata, a committee member for Operation Green Santa.
“We’ve spent about $30 per child in the past (just on presents),” Martinez said.
“But we’re hoping to up that this year,” said Frances Thomas, another committee member for the program.
The process for families to apply is somewhat rigorous. Program organizers want to make sure the donations are going to those who really are in need, and also to make sure they are not receiving donations through other charitable programs of a similar nature.
The Salvation Army, for instance, acts as a clearinghouse for applications from needy families to ensure the donation process is equitable among the various donation programs over the holidays.
“They have to have proof of citizenship, proof of income, copy of the children’s Social Security cards, two forms of identification and a utility bill (or some sort of proof of address),” said Teresa Simpson, committee member with Operation Green Santa.
First annual Turkey Trot in Gruene to benefit nonprofits
The Sheriff’s Office is also, through the Comal Cops for Kids organization, sponsoring the first ever, and they hope annual, Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot.
The five-kilometer walk and run begins Thanksgiving morning in front of Gruene Hall at 8:30 a.m., with registration beforehand.
Afterward, there will be a “kids turkey chase” with an unnamed employee of the Comal County Sheriff’s Office in complete Turkey garb, for a quarter-mile chase.
“We created this nonprofit organization as a 501(c)3 to raise money for charitable donations, also as something fun for families to come out to (on Thanksgiving Day),” said Detective Sgt. Tommy Ward with the Sheriff’s Office.
“There is nothing going on Thanksgiving Day, and maybe families will feel better about eating all of that food after running 5K,” he said.
Registration for the turkey trot is $25.
Get involved
For applications to the Green Santa or other programs, call the Salvation Army, (830) 608-9129 or the Family Life Center, (830) 625-7100. Applications are due Dec. 4.
To donate, also by Dec. 4, make donations payable to: Operation Green Santa, 3005 W. San Antonio St., New Braunfels, TX 78130 or call Roxanna Pelata or Frances Thomas for more information or if you have further questions, (830) 620-3420.
The First Annual Gruene Turkey Trot, a 5K run and walk, complete with a children’s turkey chase begins with registration at 6:30 a.m. and the run at 8:30 a.m. in front of Gruene Hall on Thanksgiving morning. $25 registration fee.
