The holidays arrived early on Long Island Friday morning, when Santa made a special stop in Oakdale.
St. Nick ditched his reindeer, hitched a ride with the Suffolk County PBA, and rolled up to the Premm Learning Center in a police truck packed with toys for special needs students.
“This is absolutely something the PBA wants to do, not has to do,” said Suffolk PBA president Lou Civello, whose organization donated all of the presents. “We’ve been doing this for over three decades, and every year it just gets better and the smiles get bigger.”
Students lit up as Santa and his police elves handed out gifts selected especially for them. Each child sent Santa a wish list earlier this fall, helping officers personalize every present.
Nine-year-old Marcelo Rodriguez could barely contain his excitement.
“This is amazing. I love to see Santa, the elves, the police. I’m going to get presents, I want to get everything!” Marcelo told Greater Long Island with a huge smile on his face. “I asked Santa for a Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen. I think I’m going to get it!”
Officers spent months preparing for the event, ensuring that every child received something meaningful.
“To see them being able to receive something that they wanted for Christmas, it just makes that holiday spirit come alive,” said the PBA’s C.J. Hutter. “We are all about interacting with the community and making people’s lives better any way we can. This is just one of those ways.”
Civello said the energy in the room never gets old.
“I look around and I see the smiles, the laughter, the excitement is palpable as the kids come in the room to get their gifts,” he said. “It’s an absolutely incredible experience.”
Teachers and staff joined in the celebration, helping students unwrap presents and soak in the joy of the day.
“It really is just so gratifying,” Civello added. “These children face a lot of adversity, but their strength and courage is inspiring. It really brightens our holidays as much as it brightens the kids’ holidays.”
