LAPD Olympic Officers Host “Operation Shoes from Santa” Shoe Drive for Underprivileged Children

WHAT:
Holiday Shoe Drive

WHEN:
Thursday, December 12, 2013
5:00 p.m.

WHERE:
Olympic Area Station
1130 S. Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90006

WHO:
LAPD Chief Charlie Beck
Captain III Tina M. Nieto, Olympic Area Commanding Officer
Captain I Anthony Oddo, Olympic Area Patrol Commanding Officer
        
WHY:
To provide new shoes to underprivileged children. “Helping Kids a pair of shoes at a time” is how officers from the Olympic Division launch their annual shoe drive. Providing the gift of new shoes provides kids with a basic necessity that many families would not otherwise be able to afford.   

As Christmas quickly approaches, LAPD’s Olympic Area officers have collected 1,200  new shoes for “Operation Shoes from Santa.” Last year, Olympic officers and their community partners provided over 600 new pairs of shoes to underprivileged and homeless children. They also transformed the station into a Winter Wonderland with real snow on the ground for children to play in.  The snow was donated by A Chance for Children Foundation. Home Depot will also participate by sponsoring “Santa’s Workshop”.  During this time Children will have the opportunity to build and paint toolboxes and frames.

Following the festivities, Santa will guide his way to the station on a T-3 police scooter along with LAPD’s police helicopter to provide shoes, toys, and a stocking full of Christmas treats for the children.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, Olympic Area Commanding Officer Captain Tina M. Nieto, and Olympic Area Patrol Commanding Officer Anthony Oddo will be joined by City Officials to distribute shoes to the children at this event.

The Wilshire Rotary Club is very proactive and has set up donation bins at their Christmas tree lot located at Beverly Boulevard and Larchmont Boulevard. The Wilshire Rotary Club also donated trees, decorated by Girls Scouts to give to needy families.

This year, numerous LAPD Bureaus and Areas including Detective Bureau Professional Standards   Bureau, Scientific Investigation Division, and West Traffic Division have joined this worthy cause and collected numerous shoes to provide to the children in Olympic Area.

VISUALS:
During the Holiday Shoe Drive, attendees will have the opportunity to meet the families receiving the gifts and to hear their personal stories.

CONTACT:
For additional information contact Senior Lead Officer Dikran Melkonian at 213-793-0781 or Media Relation Sections at 213-486-5910