21st FOP Santa Drop efforts brighten Christmas

Banner Graphic/Eric Bernsee During the FOP-sponsored Santa Drop Thursday, Santa Claus is the man of the hour getting hugs and visiting with the children.

With making Christmas a little brighter for some less-fortunate Putnam County youngsters their mission, officers from the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police Thursday perfectly executed the 21st edition of Operation Santa Drop.

Their reward?

Smiles, hugs and sighs of glee for starters. And many of those were just from the parents.

When their maneuvers were complete, the officers, led by the big man himself, Santa Claus, and FOP Chapter 92 President Jerrod Baugh, an Indiana Excise officer, had delivered the goods to more than 50 Putnam County youngsters in an operation that annually takes several months to organize and more hands than a televised poker tournament to execute.

“This could not have been accomplished without the help of all of those that donated their time, and money to make this event so special,” Greencastle City Police Assistant Chief Brian Hopkins praised.

For example, he pointed to the efforts of volunteers Sharon Bone, Marcia Murtagh, Capt. Charles Inman and Area 30 Career Center students in helping Santa wrap gifts for children this year.

“This is one of the happiest times in a law enforcement officer’s career when they interact with the children,” Hopkins has said. “Seeing children standing at their window and smiling as law enforcement pull up to their house and Santa gets out of the police car is priceless. This could not have been possible without the support of the community.”

And that support included contributions from Jack and Linda Wheeler, Marleen Ames and Club 16, Mary Jane Jones, Jean Baker E. Dean and Beverly Finley, Mary Ellen Huggard, Sharon Curtis (Putnam County EHFF&F), Nancy and Larry Price, Kenadie Jackson, Travis Grimes, Berry Insurance, Jinsie Bingham, Humphreys’ Outdoor Power, Linda York, Darlene Kay and Donald Wall Trust, Jimmie Thomas, Gobin United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 58, Ena Hoskins, Mary Lewis, John Sigworth, Susan Crodian, Furniture AwareHouse, Frank LaRoche, Don Rumley, Loretta Ash, Darcy Hendershot, Hendershot Service Center, 3-D Auto Supply Co., William Richards, Robert and Cindy Russell, Stone’s Auto Body, Sherwood Christian Church, VFW Auxiliary 1550, Keener’s Mower Sales, Mildred K. See, Linda and Bob Nichols, Dennis Gentry, Darrell Felling, Murray and Associates, Kieffaber Family, Linda Merkel, HMSB Insurance, First National Bank, Lynne Steele, Carolyn Parker, North Salem State Bank, Greencastle Pediatric Dentistry, Max and Mason Heavin, Indiana Department of Correction/Putnamville, RE/MAX Cornerstone, Sharron Bone, Marcia Murtagh, Area 30, Area 30 Law Enforcement, Charles and Lila Keller, NTHS and Student Ambassadors, Area 30 Director Lora Busch, Indiana Pacers, Jennifer Hague, Alicia Linton, Tzouanakis counselor Jamey Landry, Tzouanakis Principal Jon Strube, Misti Scott, Donnie Watson and anonymous.