By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
As the Wood County Sheriff’s deputies knocked on doors Saturday, it wasn’t unusual for them to hear the locks clicked into place by someone inside the homes.
After reassurances that no one was in trouble, the doors would slowly crack open.
Outside, a group of deputies stood ready to share a big box of food, cleaning supplies, grocery gift cards and cash.
Richard Place, of Bowling Green, did not expect a holiday delivery as he opened his door on East Clough Street, Saturday morning. The officers asked how the family was doing. Place replied fine, but when asked about finances, he told the deputies that his family was currently behind in rent.
The deputies handed him some cash to help out.
“Are you serious? What is this?” Place said as a child peeked out the door. “That’s amazing. You guys are great. Thank you so much.”
The deputies asked if Place would pose with them for a photo. He asked instead, if he could take a selfie with them, so he could send it to his girlfriend, who was at work.
Sgt. Joy Sharp, Deputy Justin Hite and Deputy Whitney Moneer smiled for the photo, and asked Place to reach out to the sheriff’s deputy if his family needed help in the future.
As the deputies checked for the next family on their list at the government subsidized apartment complex, they came upon a mother with children headed to a Christmas event at a nearby church. The children were thrilled at the promise of hot chocolate with marshmallows. The deputies handed the mother a Kroger gift card and cash.
Across Wood County on Saturday, deputies stopped at 150 homes of families nominated by others as needing some help through the holidays. All the deputies making deliveries volunteered their time.
This is the second year for Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn to sign up his department to participate in the US United Christmas Spectacular. This year, the local program reached out to 50 more families than last year. The receiving families are nominated by people in their communities who have daily contact with them, according to Brianne Cooper, director of human resources and finance at the sheriff’s office.
“They know they have genuine needs,” she said.
The program received donations of $10,000 in products from Kroger, including pancakes and syrup, laundry detergent, dish soap and other necessities. Follow up visits were made to some households, where deputies noticed needs for microwaves, refrigerators, TV, and some furniture – all from ABC Warehouse.
The Christmas Spectacular program began last year in Genesee County, Michigan, and two Ohio counties, including Wood. This year, the program has spread to more than a dozen sheriff’s offices nationwide, including those in Houston, Texas; Washington, D.C.; Roanoke, Virginia; and one in Pennsylvania.
“It truly went nationwide,” Cooper said.
The three deputies at the apartment complex in Bowling Green went to the next family on their list. There they met Tia Lowery, holding her 2-year-old son, Jayden.
Sharp asked Lowery to regift the items in the box if she didn’t need them.
“Just pass it on to your neighbors,” Sharp said, with tears welling in her eyes.
Asked if the tears were from the frigid cold or the emotions of the moment, Sharp acknowledged that she “always” tears up when children are involved.
“It’s always hard when there are kids. They are scared to open the door. They think they’ve done something wrong,” Sharp said, tearing up again.
Last year, Sharp recalled being accompanied by members of the BGSU men’s basketball team as she made a delivery to a family. The mom was sobbing, she said.
Sharp later returned to the home with four tickets to a BGSU basketball game, donated by the coach, and team shirts that she had purchased.
At the next home visited on Saturday, the deputies met Anna Higgs, who got emotional herself about the box of goods being delivered.
When her son, Declan, 5, came to the door, the deputies handed him a gift card to buy his mom something for Christmas.
Inside their apartment, a neatly decorated tree stood shining in the corner.
“We worked on it hard this year,” Higgs said.
The deputies talked about the joy it brings them to deliver some holiday cheer.
“It’s nice to be able to do something unexpected for them,” Moneer said. “It’s a complete opposite of what they’re expecting.”
Hite agreed.
“Usually we’re interacting with people in a different capacity,” Hite said. “With this they can see the other side of law enforcement. We do actually want to help.”
Sharp also brings her teenage children on the delivery route, to help and experience the joy of giving.
Their next stop was on Third Street, where a family with nine children resides. At first no one answered the door.
“Nobody’s in trouble,” Sharp said while waiting for a response.
Soon the door was answered by Janetta Loyd, whose children range from 1 to 18 years old. The older children were at the sink washing dishes.
Loyd was stunned by the box, gift cards and cash. When asked if they had a functioning microwave and TVs, Loyd said yes, but added that the children did not have a TV for themselves.
So Sharp’s son retrieved a boxed up flatscreen TV to give to the family – leaving Loyd astounded.
“I didn’t know about any of this,” she said. “This is definitely a miracle and a blessing in disguise.”
Cooper said the program helps show families that law enforcement is not only present when a crime has occurred.
“We’re there for them in times of picking them up. We care about them,” Cooper said.
