By Sarah Schulz
The Independent
HALL COUNTY, Neb. — Hope Harbor’s living room buzzed with excitement Monday evening as residents gathered to wait for a special guest.
“Santa is on his way, but his elves are little behind,” said Rhonda Smallwood, development director at Hope Harbor. Shortly after her announcement, the big guy in the red suit arrived with two elves in tow. Several Hall County sheriff’s deputies and Hall County Jail corrections officers were also on hand to help Santa, also known as corrections officer Chad Conklin, pass out gifts.
Santa’s elves, Jose Rodriguez and Jessica Stroup, along with the other officers, are members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodges No. 78 and No. 10. They raised money through a beard-growing campaign and used FOP money to buy gifts for all of the children living at Hope Harbor this Christmas.
Each child received a stocking filled with edible goodies and a wrapped gift. The kids under age 6 also got a stuffed animal and a Curious George book. Smallwood said there are about 40 kids living at the shelter right now and they range in age from 1 month to 17 years old.
Corrections Director Fred Ruiz, who is on the Hope Harbor board, said this is the first year corrections officers have helped bring Christmas to the kids at the shelter. The officers and deputies worked with Smallwood and Sadie Nielsen, Hope Harbor’s case management program manager, to get the names and ages of the children at the shelter.
Full story: Bringing Christmas to Hope Harbor