DALTON, Mass. — The police station is filled with holiday cheer as officers get involve with the seasonal activities. 

 

Every year, officers and department staff become Santa's elves through the "Letters from Santa" and "Santa for Seniors" projects. 

 

Perched outside the station's door sits a little red mailbox for families to drop off their letters to the merry man in red. 

 

The initiative began about five years ago, when Police Chief Deanna Strout saw a similar mailbox at Target.

 

Strout and Rebecca Whitaker, executive assistant, described the pure joy they feel when they see children's faces light up as they walk up to the mailbox to send their letter away to St. Nick. 

 

After the mailbox closes on Dec. 15, Police Department staff take a trip to the North Pole to bring the letters to Santa and together they write a personalized letter back to each child. 

 

For some families, sending a letter to Father Christmas has become a cherished tradition, including a family from Pennsylvania that visits the Berkshires every year.

 

"We kind of embrace the holidays, and we love to be part of people's traditions — that's just magic. It really is. It's a lot of fun," Strout said. 

 

While Whitaker does most of the work, all the officers, dispatchers, and staff help with the event, she said. "She, of course, takes it and runs. She does a great job."

 

Whitaker's face lit up as she showed off the material the department uses for Santa to send his responses. 

 

"We read some of these letters and you want to talk about giving yourself the holiday spirit. You look at the magic of the kids' Christmas letters to Santa — It is amazing. It's so fun," Strout said. 

 

Around the holidays, everyone is thinking about the kids "as we should," she said, however it is also important to remember the senior population.

 

"Our senior population is kind of forgotten during the holidays, and we wanted to do something to make it special," Strout said.

 

Eight years ago, while visiting her aunt at Craneville Place, Strout realized the need to spread season's greetings to the seniors. 

 

There were some at the nursing home who didn't have family or didn't get presents and it broke Strout's heart. 

 

The department now partners with Craneville Place to collect donated gifts for the residents. 

 

Community members are asked to purchase gifts from a list and bring the unwrapped gift to the station by Dec. 12. 

 

Craneville Place has 69 residents, 37 women and 32 men and items include adult coloring books and markers, blankets or throws, pizza gift cards, and more. The full list here. 

 

"There is always a need and it is a little tougher this year than it was last year, I think," Strout said. 

 

It's nice because depending on what the department gets, sometimes the seniors are able to get multiple gifts — two or three, Whitaker said. 

 

At the end of the donation collection, there is a Christmas party during which Santa visits the nursing home and hands out gifts.