Palatine police spread joy through Holiday Helper program

There’s still an opportunity to assist Palatine police in making the holidays especially happy for dozens of local children.

Police are hoping anyone interested in helping will head to Wal-Mart at 1555 N. Rand Road in Palatine and select one of the remaining elves hanging from a giving tree.

Adorning each elf is the name of one of roughly 65 kids taking part in the police department’s seventh annual Holiday Helper program. They also contain lists of the toys the kids desire and the clothes they need.

“These are families we’ve worked with throughout the year, and families we know are struggling and will have a hard time this Christmas,” Palatine police Officer Patty Kaczorowski said.

For the second year in a row, Allstate provided a $1,000 grant so that police can supplement the gifts and ensure siblings receive a similar number of presents.

The recipients and their families will be invited to a party Dec. 22 at the Palatine Park District’s Falcon Park Recreation Center to take pictures with a bilingual Santa Claus played by officer Carlos Gonzalez.

The event also is an opportunity for families to see several other uniformed officers in a positive setting.

“We always get a good response and the kids have a great time,” Kaczorowski said.

Palatine police officer Michelle Sierzega and social workers Melina Dominguez and Sandy Ziesak also help run the program.