BCSO makes Christmas wishes come true
-Photo by KATHY NUSSBERGER<br>Boundary County Deputy Sheriff Carol Negley, and the Sheriff's Office helped make Christmas for 43 kids this year with brand new bikes, helmets and locks for each. Pictured: Alexie Garcia, Kolton Carroll, Gwin Ballard, Tina Dickerson, Dustin Dickerson, Christopher Harlen, Deryk Harlen, Tim Harlan, Becca Harlan, Daniel Morgan, Andrew VanWinkle, Jared VanWinkle, Yakira Jones and Cheyenne Cole, were present for the picture on Dec. 28, 2006 at Georgia Mae Plaza. Several of the children and their families could not be present for the picture.
By KATHY NUSSBERGER
Managing Editor
A few days before Christmas, the Boundary County Sheriff's Office made several kids dreams come true with brand new bikes and safety equipment to place under their family's Christmas tree.
Although the Kootenai County Sheriff's annual "Christmas Crusade for Children" began in 2004, for the first time since its inception, the program offered to several other north Idaho counties, including Boundary County.
Despite receiving notification very close to the deadlines, Deputy Carol Negley and the Boundary County Sheriff's Office took the initiative and notified several area families of the program and how to participate.
"Alana Hunt, the DARE officer in Kootenai County told us about the program, and we had 43 children this year who received bikes and safety equipment," Negley explained. "Hopefully next Christmas, we can get the word out earlier and many more families will have time to participate before the deadlines."
Negley added that with so many of the mills shutting down at this time of year, it was really nice to be able to offer this program to families and help out the community.
"This is for the kids, and it is really nice to see the looks on their faces when the bikes are delivered," Negley said. "We are hoping to get the word out sooner to raise more donations, receive more applications and give more bikes next year. We just didn't have enough time this year before deadlines to make it all come together, but giving 43 kids brand new bikes, helmets and locks for Christmas was wonderful for our first year."
For families interested in participating in the program next year, children of any age may be included in submitting applications. Parents are asked to fill out the paperwork and include a narrative regarding why their child/children has a financial need for receiving the gift. For more information on the program, watch for announcements in the Herald in October and/or November when the Boundary County Sheriff's Office kicks off its efforts for the 2007 "Christmas Crusade for Children" in Boundary County.