OPERATION BLUE CHRISTMAS
 
On Wednesday, December 20, 2023, members of the Kingston Municipal Police Department, accompanied by members of the Kingston/Forty-Fort Fire Department, Forty-Fort Police Department, and Santa responded to homes in Kingston and Forty-Fort Borough, to deliver Christmas presents to deserving children, as part of Operation Blue Christmas.The mission of Operation Blue Christmas is to build a stronger bond between members of the Kingston Municipal Police Department and the community we serve. Operation Blue Christmas focuses on giving to families who have faced hardships.
 
The Kingston Municipal Police Department reached out to individuals in the area, in which they provided names of deserving individuals, and we then selected the families from the list that was provided to us. 
 
This year, we chose the Harris/Singleton Family, the Allen/Young Family, and the Boechat Family. Also chosen, was a student at the West Side Career and Technology Center. In total, five children were blessed with gifts from everyone’s generous donations. 

The Kingston Municipal Police Department would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of the businesses, as well as members of the community who helped make this years Operation Blue Christmas a success, as it would not have been possible without your help: DJ Donnie Evans, AMP Global Strategies, William Freeman from 570 Construction, Kingston/Forty-Fort Firefighters Charitable Association, Dancheck’s Extinguishers and Service, Fibertel Inc, Forty-Fort Police Department, Custom Staffing Solutions, Master Garment Cleaners, Full Service Barber Shop, Brenda and Alan Pugh, the D’Amico Family, and the Sweeney Family. We would also like to thank those that have donated, but have done so anonymously. 

We would like to thank Mrs. Katchik’s prekindergarten class with Building Blocks Learning Center at the West Side Career and Technology Center. Mrs. Katchik’s students each brought in presents that were donated to Maddy’s Gift, and were also given to our chosen Operation Blue Christmas Families. As a thank you to the students, Chief Richard Kotchik read (and sang) to the students, “The Book with No Pictures.”

We would also like to thank the Shavertown United Methodist Church for putting together a toy drive, as part of their annual children’s Christmas program, “Room for Christmas.” A portion of the toys were donated to our chosen Operation Blue Christmas families, and a portion of the toys were donated to Maddy’s Gift. Last, but certainly not least, we would like to thank Pizza Bella, for not only providing the department with lunch for the station this afternoon, but providing each family with lunch also.

Merry Christmas!