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Operation Fill A Cruiser collects toys for less fortunate
By Bob Jackson
YOUNGSTOWN
A church parking lot might seem an unusual place to see a half-dozen police cruisers with flashing lights and a fully loaded prisoner transport vehicle.
That was exactly what passersby saw, though, Saturday afternoon at St. Christine Church on South Schenley Avenue in Cornersburg, where the Youngstown Police Department had its fourth annual Fill A Cruiser toy drive.
Several YPD officers, along with Deputy Kirk Mines of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department, braved the cold weather to meet and greet people who pulled up to drop off new toys, which were placed in the prisoner transport vehicle.
The toys will eventually be distributed to children from less fortunate families, said Officer George Wallace, who has organized the event each year. Wallace said the toy drive and giveaway is an opportunity for the community to see its police officers in a positive light. It’s also a chance for the officers to get a different perspective of the community.
“When you’re out working your turns, you tend to see people at their worst,” Wallace said of the officers. “For them to see people be so thankful and appreciative, it’s a good thing for all of us.”
Wallace said the department gathered enough toys the first year to help seven families. The number grew to 24 families in 2016 and more than 60 families last year. He hopes to see an even larger number this year, but said time will tell.
“It will just depend on how many toys we get,” he said.
Mary Novotny, who lives just up the street from St. Christine, said she has donated toys to the effort every year. When she was a child, her father stressed the importance of generosity toward others.
“Christmas is all about giving,” she said. “Kids have so many toys today. A lot of them have more than they’ll ever need, and it just breaks your heart to think about the ones who don’t have anything.”
Chris Phillips of Austintown was driving past the church on his way home with his daughters, Keira, 11, and Fiona, 4, when they saw the cruisers and realized what was going on. He said the girls decided they wanted to participate, so they drove to a nearby store, bought some toys and brought them back. Both girls wore wide smiles as they handed toys to the officers.
“Now, kids that don’t get any toys from Santa can still get toys from the police,” Keira said, explaining why it felt good to help out.
Chris said the Fill A Cruiser drive helps teach kids the importance of giving.
“It shows them how lucky they are to have all the things they do have,” he said.
Larry and Pam Graham of Austintown said they saw a report about the event on 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, and decided they wanted to donate.
“We’re blessed, so we wanted to help out,” Pam said. “We have health, grandchildren and each other. Anything that helps people in need is a good thing.”
Wallace said the department’s officers will suggest families with whom they’re in contact on their beats and then will deliver the toys before Christmas to those families who are chosen.