OPERATION THIN BLUE LINE CHRISTMAS
Donation protected
Hello, good people of the great United States of America! I'm a detective in the largest city in Ohio. My position as a detective allows me the great honor and privilege to meet wonderful children and adults all over the city. However, I'm not there to shake the hands of the kids or their parents or check their kid's homework. I come in contact with the children because they are alleged victims of child abuse or neglect. Most of my cases are unfounded or insufficient evidence to make an arrest. However, most of my cases involve children that have no chance of seeing Christmas gifts. They won't see a Christmas tree or any kind of decoration. They will wake up on Christmas morning and wonder why Santa skipped their home. I can investigate crimes and arrest bad people but I can't fix poverty. Last year, I had an 8 year old girl tell me four weeks before Christmas, that she wanted a Barbie Doll house because she watches Barbie Cartoons. I knew that her dream would not come true due to her current living conditions. She was full of smiles and joy but it broke my heart knowing she will find that her gifts would fall very short of a Barbie Doll house. I imagined her with tears in her eyes when her presents showed signs of wear and tear because they came from Goodwill.
I told the story to my wife and she suggested that we just go buy her the Barbie Doll house. I liked that idea however, this child had 3 siblings. We couldn't be Santa for one child without being Santa for the whole family. So my wife went to Facebook and told friends and relatives of the story and within 10 days we raised $500. My wife and daughter went to the local dollar store and bought simple gifts, I.E. matchbox cars, coloring books, cards games, baby dolls, hats and gloves, balls and what ever she thought that a child might enjoy. She also bought Christmas bags and stockings and filled each with as many gifts that would promote fun family and activity. Each bag was labeled with gender and age group. My wife and daughter spent several hours wrapping each gift not knowing who may play with this little toy. I asked other detectives to make notes if they came in contact with parents that needed help with Christmas wishes. Another detective called me with a horrible story involving three children that haven't seen or celebrated Christmas in 9 years. Because of someone's small donation, those kids had presents on Christmas last year. Just before December 25th we raised $740 and my car was full of hundreds of gifts. A week before Christmas, the presents were in the hands of the adults that were on hard times so that they can tell their children that Santa Clause came to their home while they slept and left the gifts for them for being good kids.
Laddies and Gentlemen, this year I want to do more so I started, "Operation Thin Blue Line Christmas!" I believe no child should wake up on Christmas Morning and find nothing. That's heart breaking to me. If I can buy my two dogs a Christmas presents, I can donate some time and some money knowing I may have helped a child smile and laugh on Christmas Day.
I do not want recognition, I do not want pats on the back. I just want to try to bring a little joy into the lives of children that didn't ask to live in a house without the miracle of Christmas Joy. If $5 can make a child smile, then that smile is worth a million dollars. So please, find it in your hearts, to help me help the children that will live without the Christmas Spirit unless something can be done. Thank you from "Operation Thin Blue Line Christmas!"
I told the story to my wife and she suggested that we just go buy her the Barbie Doll house. I liked that idea however, this child had 3 siblings. We couldn't be Santa for one child without being Santa for the whole family. So my wife went to Facebook and told friends and relatives of the story and within 10 days we raised $500. My wife and daughter went to the local dollar store and bought simple gifts, I.E. matchbox cars, coloring books, cards games, baby dolls, hats and gloves, balls and what ever she thought that a child might enjoy. She also bought Christmas bags and stockings and filled each with as many gifts that would promote fun family and activity. Each bag was labeled with gender and age group. My wife and daughter spent several hours wrapping each gift not knowing who may play with this little toy. I asked other detectives to make notes if they came in contact with parents that needed help with Christmas wishes. Another detective called me with a horrible story involving three children that haven't seen or celebrated Christmas in 9 years. Because of someone's small donation, those kids had presents on Christmas last year. Just before December 25th we raised $740 and my car was full of hundreds of gifts. A week before Christmas, the presents were in the hands of the adults that were on hard times so that they can tell their children that Santa Clause came to their home while they slept and left the gifts for them for being good kids.
Laddies and Gentlemen, this year I want to do more so I started, "Operation Thin Blue Line Christmas!" I believe no child should wake up on Christmas Morning and find nothing. That's heart breaking to me. If I can buy my two dogs a Christmas presents, I can donate some time and some money knowing I may have helped a child smile and laugh on Christmas Day.
I do not want recognition, I do not want pats on the back. I just want to try to bring a little joy into the lives of children that didn't ask to live in a house without the miracle of Christmas Joy. If $5 can make a child smile, then that smile is worth a million dollars. So please, find it in your hearts, to help me help the children that will live without the Christmas Spirit unless something can be done. Thank you from "Operation Thin Blue Line Christmas!"
Organizer
Michael D. Fleming
Organizer
Johnstown, OH
