December 20th, 2022 by WCBC Radio
On Saturday, December 17, 2022 Garrett County hosted the 7th Annual Police Providing Presents event. Volunteers from all five (05) Garrett County law enforcement agencies along with the Garrett County Department of Social Services, Garrett County Board of Education, Garrett County Health Department and AmeriCorps partnered together to help make the event possible.
The nationwide event may be called different names, but the event's meaning stays the same. The event provided selected children through Garrett County Schools the opportunity to be paired with members from the Maryland State Police, Garrett County Sheriff's Office, Maryland Natural Resource Police, Oakland City Police and the Maryland State Fire Marshal's Office who spent the day as partners.
The event started by the officers picking up their partner for the day, shopping for gifts at the Oakland WalMart, and attending a luncheon with activities at the Garrett County Fairgrounds. The activities included vehicle (police, fire truck and ambulance) demonstrations, ornament building, cookie decorating and interacting fun games. The purchased gifts were wrapped during the activities by volunteers for the children to take home to their families.
A special thanks to Garrett County Department of Social Services for their partnership when Police Proving Presents first started and support for the program each year!! Also, thank you to Garrett County Public Schools for their
assistance in selecting the children for the event.
We want to thank the many businesses and individuals that made donations. Businesses making donations will be recognized at a later date. It’s because of you that help make this event a huge success! We would like to give a special thanks to Oakland Walmart, Garrett County Fair Board, Crossroads Church, Deep Creek Fire Department, Garrett County Emergency Services, Little Caesars (Grantsville), Ledo Pizza, Pizza Hut, Subway (Oakland Walmart), Arrowhead Market, McDonald’s (Deep Creek Lake), Wisp Resort, Funland, Monkey Business Adventure Park, Marissa Mullenax Bakery, Samantha Funding the Arts, John Parsons, Chaney Excavating, Maryland State Highway Administration, event volunteers and all of the citizens, businesses and churches who made donations to the program. Without the generosity of all involved the event would not have been possible.
The annual Police Providing Presents event was again a great success. Those wishing to donate for next year’s event scheduled for Saturday, December 16th, 2023 can make donations in the form of checks or money orders to Garrett County Department of Social Services (GCDSS), 12578 Garrett Highway, Oakland, Maryland 21550 and specify "Police Providing Presents." Although the preferred method is checks or money orders, cash donations are acceptable and can be dropped off in person at GCDSS.
