Kingston PD, volunteers team up to bring cheer to area families

KINGSTON — With Santa Claus and the Grinch in tow, members of the Kingston Police Department, with some civilian help, were able to bring an early Christmas to a few deserving local families.

Policemen, accompanied by firetrucks and news crews arrived at a home on Division Street just before 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, loaded down with boxes of donated gifts as part of Operation Blue Christmas. Another family received the same visit earlier in the day, however, they declined media attention.

But for Linda Smigielski and her three children, they went from being shy and unaware of what exactly was awaiting them to being overcome with jovial feelings and excitement as the children tore away wrapping paper, while mom joked to the police, “I’m not going to get a littering fine, am I?”

Smigielski says she’s spent, “all my life, 45 years,” as a resident of Kingston. She received prior notice from the police that, “I was nominated by somebody in my community to receive some extra presents and benefits for the children.” What she thought would be, “just a couple presents” turned out to be a full-scale front yard Christmas.

Her children were a little nervous at first.

The eldest, twin boys George and Joseph, and seven-year old daughter Madison, quickly overcame that when they saw Santa and the police carrying gifts onto their lawn.

Describing her children, Smigielski says of the boys, “they’re both twins and they’re both on the spectrum, so they’re a little bit challenging at times, but you know, what kid isn’t?” And that Madison is, “a typical seven-year-old girl who acts like she’s 20.” She went on to say how “greatly blessed” they all are.

And for the kids voraciously opening gifts? With a laugh she says, “They’re having a good time. They’re being normal kids, just opening everything up and throwing the wrapping paper everywhere and not even paying attention that Santa Claus is standing right there in front of them.”

Then Santa himself brought out a very special secret gift. As the children descended on the rectangular box, their eyes lit up as they unveiled the brand new telescope inside, chosen especially for them.

While she has no idea who nominated her family, Smigielski says, “I can definitely say about my neighbors … they’ve been nothing but great. You know when my dad passed, they were really great with helping all of us and stuff like that. My one neighbor is always there for us and stuff. Our other neighbor is always helping with the grass or snow or something like that. We all have our backs. It’s a great community to live in.”

Detective Ed Palka, who has been a member of the Kingston Police since 1998 says Operation Blue Christmas, now in its second iteration locally, allows them to do their job above and beyond just wearing the uniform.

“I mean the whole ‘protect and serve’ thing is there as well,” Palka says, “But we’re public servants and that’s the root of why we’re here.”

Palka thanked members of the community for their efforts in being able to provide this Christmas surprise, like Gerrity’s Supermarket, Outback Steakhouse and DJ Donnie Evans, who Palka says is, “Fantastic. He puts together a bunch of people who come to donate.”

That said, Palka asked, “Who doesn’t want to get involved with helping families out, you know what I mean? It’s great to be able to give the kids some presents and be able to meet the kids.” That community involvement and interaction, he says, is “the whole purpose.”

Palka also thanked another local man, Josh King, who held a fundraising event that brought in hundreds of toys from a toy drive he held earlier this year. King, 27, is orginally from Bear Creek, but now resides in Plains Township after his service in the National Guard.

King told a reporter, “Growing up, I was sort of a juvenile and made some poor decisions. At that point in my life, it was like — the police — I wasn’t friends with them. And then when I started working at the jail as a (correctional officer), which I’ve since left, but I got a lot of respect for what they do.”

So, inspired by a friend who did a Toys 4 Tots fundraiser a few years back, King put up the money for a catered fundraising event out of his own pocket. Hosted at Coal Valley Sports and Event Center in Edwardsville, the event required an unwrapped toy at the door, as well as monetary donations, which King then handed over to Operation Blue Christmas, so that the proceeds and toys would stay local.

King says donations by local folks like DJ Donnie Evans, who donated his photo booth (and who can be booked via his Facebook page) and Double Trouble DJs, who offered to do the event completely gratis, made the event worth it.

While he hasn’t come up with a name yet, King is already planning next year’s event, and aims to see it happen annually.

“Hopefully I can keep this going for as long as I can,” he said.

The work of King, Evans, the Kingston PD and all who donated time, money and toys, was evidently valued in the smiles of Smigielski’s children, as well as every other child who received a donated gift through endeavors like these, that bring communities together in the true spirit of the holidays.