Published: November 09, 2009 07:26 am      

Vidor Blue Santa now accepting applications

Operation Blue Santa is now under way and your help is needed.

The Vidor Police Department’s annual Operation Blue Santa program began earlier this week and is gearing up for one of its biggest years ever in an effort to make sure the children in western Orange County have a happy holiday season.

Applications are available at the Vidor Police Department, 695 E. Railroad, for parents or guardians of children of the Vidor Independent School District. The applications are available day or night in the lobby of the police station.

The deadline to submit the application and proof of child custody is Nov. 30, 2009. Only the parent or legal guardian of the child or children may apply for assistance.

Acceptable proof of guardianship includes a birth certificate or Medicaid card, which has the custodial parent’s name on it. Custodial papers from a court will also be accepted.

According to Sgt. Aleta Cappen of the Vidor Police Department, the 2008 Operation Blue Santa program was a record setting project, both in terms of the number of children hoping for a Merry Christmas and the number of families which applied.

“We are expecting the same or even more this year,” Cappen said. “People have already been steadily coming in for applications, and we even had people calling us in October and asking when we were going to start taking applications. So, obviously, there is a real need.”

Cappen and Karen Cavel, the investigations division secretary, have made some changes to this year’s program, but one they hope will allow people to donate more easily.

“We have started a wish list at Wal-Mart.com,” Cavel said. “It’s basically a gift registry and should allow people to more easily donate. We think it will help us be ready for the distribution date and help the public donate items we know the children really want. And groups can get together and really make an impact this way.”

Donors may visit www.walmart.com and then must enter “VPD” in the first name box, and “BlueSanta” in the last name box.

Officers are asking area residents to donate brand new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to needy children this year. Cappen said the program was tailored to the family’s needs in the past and the program “hoped” it would get we it needed for the children signed up.

“Imagine buying what your child wants for Christmas, and then multiply that by 200 families,” Cappen stated. “It was pretty overwhelming last year, but we felt good about everything we were able to accomplish and the families we were able to help.”

Cash donations are also being accepted at the police station in lieu of toys.

Donations will be accepted through Dec. 11 as the toy distribution begins at 9 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 12 at Vidor Municipal Court, 125 Watts St.

Drop off locations include the Vidor Police Station, as well as the Pine Forest City Hall, 305 Nagel St. in Pine Forest. The Pine Forest location will accept toys from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

According to Cappen, other donation locations could be opened as the program continues.

Call the Vidor Police Department at 409-769-4561 for more information about the Operation Blue Santa program.



Tommy Mann Jr. is a reporter for The Orange Leader. He can be reached at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com.