Wright City police are making Christmas brighter for seven families thanks to a donation from local business S & A Towing.For the past several years, the Wright City Police Department has sought local support to help purchase gifts for the children of disadvantaged families, Chief Matt Eskew said. This year S & A Towing, a past partner, came forward unsolicited to sponsor the shopping trip.“They said they wanted to continue the tradition,” Eskew commented.It’s that kind of support, he said, which makes this act of kindness possible.The families who receive gifts are identified anonymously through the Wright City School District, Eskew explained. They’re families who are down on their luck and need a little help.Cooperation between the school district and police department began several years ago. Eskew noted that the department had been looking for a community program to help with when school officials reached out.“Christmas is pretty important to me, as well as the majority of my staff. Just the thought of somebody not having a good Christmas was kind of heartbreaking,” Eskew said.School Resource Officer Jeff Catron conducts the shopping trip each year. He doesn’t know the identities of the children he shops for, only their age, gender, and what presents they might like.“There’s a list of what (children) requested, what they would like to have,” Catron said. “I just try to get everything on their lists.”Catron commented that he made the outing for these gifts before he had done his own Christmas shopping, and that he enjoys the opportunity every year.“We couldn’t do it without the support of local businesses and community members,” he added.The presents are dropped off with the Wright City School District so families can pick them up anonymously, Catron said.Eskew elaborated that the gift-giving effort is a way to let the community know that police are here to help.“We always want to remind people that you can come to us with problems. We need for people to also realize that we’re human, we’re definitely approachable,” the chief said. “We’re here to protect and serve, and it’s an honor to be able to help provide a Christmas to somebody.”Wright City police officers also contribute money during the holiday season each year to the school district’s Care to Learn program. Those funds go to support the health, hunger and hygiene needs of disadvantaged students.This year, Care to Learn used some of those funds to help provide holiday dinners and winter coats to the families it serves, the officers said.

Wright City School Resource Officer Jeff Catron shops for toys for local families using a donation from S & A Towing.

Wright City Police photo