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December 18, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Operation Christmas delivers a happy Christmas for the children and elderly of Washington County

There wasn’t a hungry person to be found as Sheriff Haddock and deputies treated those at Council on Aging to a home cooked meal and delivered food baskets to homebound residents throughout Washington County on Monday as part of Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s Operation Christmas Program.  Deputies have worked since September on several fundraising projects which helped raise the money needed to provide food baskets, blankets, toys, clothes, bikes, and various other items to be distributed to needy children and the elderly living in Washington County .  Over 51 food baskets containing over 1500 non-perishable food items were given out to residents in Washington County who were not able to leave their home to participate in the Council on Aging dinner.

The final distribution of Operation Christmas will be held on Saturday, December 22^nd when deputies will distribute toys, bikes and clothing to approximately 200 pre-selected children who were identified by the schools as being in need of assistance this year during Christmas.  “This program is something that our own Deputy Doug Smith, Deputy David Riley and wife Tamara and victim’s advocate Angie McDonald started working on during the last part of this year and they were able to get a huge amount accomplished in a relatively small amount of time, states Sheriff Haddock.  We know that it is only because several of those in the community pitched in to volunteer their time, money and other resources that we were able to provide for this many people.  We can’t express how grateful we are to this community for their generous heart, demonstrated in a big way during this Operation Christmas Program.”

Washington County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the following people and businesses for their contributions and support of this year’s Operation Christmas Program:  Peebles, Roulhac Middle School, Chipley High School, Capital City Bank, Region’s Bank, Cotton States Insurance, Chipley Walmart, DeFuniak Springs Walmart, Vernon Middle, School, Chipley Piggly Wiggly, Dawn Frost, ARNP, NWFCH, Washington Correctional, Craig Kneiss, Probation and Parole, Cross Country Exterminators, Gary’s Flamin Grill, West Point Stevens, Judge Colby Peel, Lora Fischer, Superintendent Calvin Stevenson and the many others who helped in this programs success!

While this year’s Operation Christmas Program is drawing to a close, deputies are looking forward to getting an early start on Operation Christmas 2008.  Donation drives and fundraising events are scheduled begin in the first part of 2008.