SLIDELL, LA — Santa Clause already came to town in Slidell. Maybe it was a practice run for Christmas Eve, but he made a big impression on a lot of kids.
Friday, the jolly old elf joined Slidell police chief Randy Fandal and his officers to distribute toys. The group gathered on a trailer that was pulled through the streets of the city. As it moved along, they handed out toys to the children who rushed to meet them.
“This is what Christmas is about,” Chief Fandal said along the way.
Slidell police call the annual event Toys From Cops. The department pays for the toys with donations and generous sponsorships.
“I think it’s a blessing. Especially for kids that are less fortunate,” one mom said along the route.
The program is about more than one ride through the streets. In previous years, the officers have also brought toys to kids who are battling cancer in the hospital.
“We had to have handed out toys to several hundred kids,” Fandal said at the end of Friday’s ride. “It was a little extra Christmas cheer.”
Click on the video button above to see some of the wonderful moments of the ride. The video is provided by the Slidell Police Department.