Hazleton police Det. Brett Green was honored for her community outreach work by Luzerne County Head Start.
Through the Blue Santa Project, Green and the Hazleton Fraternal Order of Police treat impoverished children, those who lost a parent and children who were victims of crimes to a VIP visit and party with Santa Claus each year. Created and organized by Green, toys and financial donations are collected from the public through the FOP. They are wrapped by “Santa’s elves” and covertly placed in the vehicles of guardians or parents while the children visit with Santa, make Christmas cookies and create their own Christmas stockings at the Harwood fire house.
The undertaking has benefitted 600 children in four years, Green said.
The officers never get to see the children open their gifts, but on Friday, during an appreciation presentation, Luzerne County Head Start offered Green a collage on a shield cutout that contained pictures of bright-eyed, excited children opening up their gifts. The shield was designed by Angela Arguinzoni, an Early Head Start family educator.
“Grateful and humbled. It’s nice to see the other side of the (Blue Santa project) where the children receive the gifts because so much work is put into it,” Green said.
In addition, Green was bestowed with framed artwork drawn by one of the Head Start students depicting a police officer, police vehicle and an arrestee.
Each year, Luzerne County Head Start employees nominate and then present several businesses, organizations or individuals with the Outstanding Community Partner award, said Lindsey Fredericks, community advocate at Luzerne County Head Start. Winners are selected by the agency’s executive leadership team.
Green was one of four to receive the 2020 Outstanding Community Partner award. The others included The Kennedy Early Childhood Center, Nanticoke; Energy Transfer, Tunkhannock; and PCC Aerostructures, Wilkes-Barre.
Green was nominated by Mirian Lozano, an Early Head Start family educator, who explained that Blue Santa benefitted about 40 Early Head Start children and their families in the Hazleton area in two years.
The award, first presented in 1984, recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to Head Start and who have made a difference in the lives of Early Head Start and Head Start children and their families, Fredericks said.
Story from the Hazleton Standard Speaker: Amanda Christman, Staff Writer
Hazleton police Det. Brett Green was honored for her community outreach work by Luzerne County Head Start (LCHS). The Outstanding Community Partner award was first presented by LCHS in 1984. It recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the organization and have made a difference in the lives of Head Start and Early Head Start children and their families.
From left – First Row: Angela Arguinzoni, Mirian Lozano, Luzerne County Head Start family educators; Det. Brett Green, Hazleton Police Dept.; Juanita Rodriguez, Luzerne County Head Start family educator
Second Row: Det. Sgt. Mario Howey, Det. Sgt. David Rodick and First Lt. Anthony White, Hazleton Police Dept.
Third Row: Chief Brian Schoonmaker and Det. Lt. William Gallagher, Hazleton Police Dept.
Fourth Row: Det. Eric Hernandez, Hazleton Police Dept. and Det. Richard Naprava, West Hazleton Police Dept.
PHOTO CREDIT: Warren Ruda/Hazleton Standard Speaker, Staff Photographer
Luzerne County Head Start family educators, Mirian Lozano and Angela Arguinzoni, present Det. Brett Green and the Hazleton Police Department with Head Start’s 2020 Outstanding Community Partner award.
PHOTO CREDIT: Warren Ruda/Hazleton Standard Speaker, Staff Photographer