FOP Santa Drop celebrates the season of giving

Sunday, December 22, 2013
Six-year-old Serenity Hines was one of more than 50 children to recieve a special visit from Santa last week as part of the annual Putnam County Franteral Order of Police's Santa Drop. The program, which is in its 17th year, helps out needy families all over the county.

For the past 17 years, the Putnam County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 92 has delivered toys to needy children in Putnam County in a project known as the FOP Santa Drop.

This year more than 50 kids received toys from Santa, making it the biggest Santa Drop in its history, due to an increase in donations.

The idea of having a Santa Drop program originally began after a single $100 donation was received to help local children.

Greencastle Police Department Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins, along with the late Putnam County Sheriff's Department Capt. Jim Baugh, came up with the idea of helping those in need during the holiday season, as both knew of families in need of help.

"Capt. Jim Baugh and I started talking about what to do with the donation and then we remembered that we had an old Santa suit," Hopkins explained. "Jim Baugh said he would wear it and we could buy some gifts and Santa would deliver them in a police car. We both knew of a family in Cloverdale that was having a hard time and that might not otherwise have funding to buy gifts, so with this idea we went out and bought toys and even talked to a few local grocery stores and got them to donate food."

Baugh was also instrumental in coming up with the idea, which is still used today, to have Santa wear a badge and gun belt.

"When kids asked him, he would tell them that the real Santa called the police department asking for some help delivering (gifts)," Hopkins said. "He also wanted a police officer to help and the police were not going to let Santa down."

Santa surprises two-year-old Jayden Carson and guardian Trish of Cloverdale during this year's FOP Santa Drop.

Getting into the holiday spirit, Hopkins also noted that the first night the pair delivered gifts they also conducted a traffic stop.

"The first night we delivered Baugh I conducted a traffic stop on a car that had no tail lights and Baugh went up to the car wearing the (Santa) suit," Hopkins said smiling. "Needless to say the driver of the car did not get a ticket. We helped get the lights working and Baugh talked to the kids, who were thrilled to see Santa."

Inclement weather may have slowed the pair down during the second year of the program, but a little determination went a long way.

"The second year we had a family in Roachdale and the roads were terrible, nearly impassable, but we were determined to get the presents to the kids," Hopkins said. "It took Baugh and me several hours to make it to Roachdale. We did not make it back until close to midnight, but the kids were still awake watching for us out the window when we arrived."

Today, the program is still going strong with Hopkins along with Jim Baugh's son, Indiana State Excise Police Cpl. Jerrod Baugh, taking the reins.

Receiving more donations than ever, the FOP was able to purchase presents to help more than 50 families in need this year.

Gifts ranged from the necessities such as winter hats, gloves and boots to a variety of toys such as bicycles, sleds, dolls and more.

One of the many special stories of those in the community paying it forward this year was seven-year-old Taylor Golden, who chose to donate the profits of her lemonade stand over the summer instead of keeping it for herself.

"She decided that with Christmas being just around the corner she would donate the money to the FOP Santa Drop," Hopkins added. "Taylor is a great example of someone that is willing to give what they have to someone else that is less fortunate."

Many calls were also received from people wanting to sponsor a child, by going out and shopping for them then dropping the gifts off at the Greencastle Police Department.

With such a program, a lot of behind the scenes work goes in to make it successful. First, donations must be collected. Officers must also screen potential participants to make sure they qualify for the program as well as to make sure they are not on any other organization's gift list.

"By starting this program police officers are able to talk with kids and show them that we are here to help," Hopkins said. "Being a police officer is not about arresting people, it's about helping people."

Santa Drop truly is one of the officers' favorite activities to participate in throughout the year. Seeing the smiling children's faces makes everything worthwhile.

"We really try and make sure every kid receives some kind of gift. It's all about trying to help out those that are less fortunate," Hopkins said. "It is really hard to believe that the FOP Santa Drop has been going on for 17 years."

Members of the FOP delivered gifts to all parts of Putnam County on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Participating in the day were Greencastle Police Officers Kyle Lee, Ed Wilson, Nick Eastham, Darrel Bunten, Reserve Officer Jerett Query, Cloverdale Sgt. Charlie Hallam and Officer James Martin, Cloverdale Police Chief Michael Clark, Greencastle Police Chief Tom Sutherlin, Sheriff's Department Deputy Mike Downing, DePauw University Officers Dawn Townly and Nate Lien, Indiana State Excise Sgt. John Copeland, Hopkins and Baugh.

One special moment this year was when a young child named Daniel was stopped by Santa and local officers on his walk home from school.

After he was informed that something was just delivered to his home, he ran all the way to his front door, with officers watching in their rear view mirrors, with a smile that reached ear to ear.

"The looks of the little kids and grateful parents melt my heart when here comes Santa, lights and siren into the driveway," Wilson said. "(It) helps a guy forget some of the bad things we see and the issues that we deal with the rest of the year."

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