Community Gets a Big Thanks for Holiday Referral Program Response
Dec 19, 2019 12:00AM ● By By Elise Spleiss
Officer Spencer, Officer Mitchell, and Sergeant Garing at Sunrise Mall with gifts donated by the community for the 2019 Holiday Referral program. Photo courtesy of CHPD
CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Thursday, December 19th saw the culmination of the six-week 2019 Citrus Heights Holiday Referral Program, as dozens of eager families descended on a room at the Sunrise Mall to ‘shop’ for their children’s Christmas toys, stuffed animals and other presents. For many these gifts will be the only they receive for Christmas.
It was also the day several specially chosen families living in low-income neighborhoods including Sayonara Drive received a welcomed visit from the Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD), who came bearing gifts and other needed household items on the family’s holiday wish list. Police staff, city officials and members of the community joined in the fun, greeting the families and sharing in their joy, often accompanied by tears.
The Holiday Referral program has grown rapidly since the police department became responsible for its organization and supervision. It now runs like a well-oiled machine. This year the ever-growing list of businesses, non-profits, schools, churches, restaurants and individuals who have stepped forward to help others is so long it can only be described as “almost endless”. It is all these people coming together that makes it happen each year.
Larissa Wasilevsky with the CHPD said in an email, “we so appreciate the outpouring of support from the entire community!” She indicated that special thanks go to the partners who have worked so hard this year including the CHPD, Sunrise Marketplace, Sunrise Mall, City of Citrus Heights and its many departments, CH Chamber of Commerce, CH Rotary and CH Soroptimist.