Published: November 01, 2009 09:01 am      

Blue Santa program taking applications

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office will begin taking applications for the Blue Santa program on Monday.

Applications are being taken from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office located at 205 Border Street. Applicants should bring their driver’s license, current utility bill and a birth certificate for each child for whom they are needing assistance.

Deputy John Badeaux said applicants need to be sure to fill in every blank of the application to ensure their child receives an appropriate gift.

Applications will be accepted until Nov. 25.

This year the gifts will be pre-bagged. In addition, some children will receive a bicycle. Blue Santa officials will draw the names from a hat. However, in the event multiple names are pulled from one family, then only one bicycle will be given, according to Badeaux.

Over the years, Blue Santa officials were able to assist thousands of children to have a merrier Christmas.

The scheduled distribution date is Dec. 12 at the VFW hall on Highway 87.

“We are asking parents not to bring their children on distribution day,” Badeaux said.

Blue Santa helpers will place collection boxes at locations such as the Orange County Courthouse and Wal-Mart.

Badeaux hopes to put a smile on all the area children’s faces on Christmas morning and hopes the donation boxes will fill up quickly.

For more information contact Badeaux at 409-882-7917.

The Blue Santa program began in the early 1980s by the Marine Corps Reserves to make sure all the “underprivileged children” of Orange County have toys for Christmas.

The program was taken over by area law enforcement a few years later and is now run by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.



Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2609 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.