COEUR d'ALENE - The holiday season is approaching, bringing wonderful events and memories for our community members. Although many of us will be celebrating with our families, others are not as fortunate. Sadly, some in our community do not have the basic necessities, let alone the opportunity to feel the joy of Christmas.

This year, officers from the Coeur d'Alene Police Department, Post Falls Police Department, Kootenai County Sheriff's Office, Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue, Rathdrum Police Department, Spirit Lake Police Department, Idaho State Police, Spokane County Sheriff's Office, and numerous employee volunteers are proud to join together and participate in the 'Holidays and Heroes' program.

Police officers and firefighters volunteer their time to make this event special, and are happy to work in partnership with businesses, civic groups, and citizens in the surrounding areas to make disadvantaged children's Christmas a little bit brighter. The agencies will be following the same format as in prior years, where several police officers and firefighters will take children shopping for the day. Children's names are provided to the organizers by School Resource Officers, school counselors, patrol officers, deputy sheriffs, or firefighters who have come into contact with a less fortunate child during the past year.

This year the event is on Dec. 8. Children are picked up at their homes by a police officer in a patrol car and then driven to the Wal-Mart in the Spokane Valley or Post Falls. Police and firefighters take the children through the store picking out Christmas gifts for the children and their families. After the shopping is complete, the children are driven to the Greyhound Park to visit Santa.

The Greyhound Park facility is provided free of charge for the event. While the children are meeting Santa, volunteers wrap their presents, and prepare large food baskets for the children's families. At the end of the day, the officers load the presents and food into their patrol cars and take the children home. All of the officers and firefighters participating are volunteering their time.

'Holidays and Heroes' is now accepting cash donations and food items that can be dropped off at the Spokane County Sheriff's Office at 1100 W. Mallon Ave. and the Valley office at 12710 E. Sprague, Post Falls Police Department at 1717 E. Polston Ave., Kootenai County Sheriff's Office at 5500 N. Government Way, Rathdrum Police Department at 8178 W. Main St., the Cd'A Police Department at 3818 Schreiber Way, and Kootenai County Fire Administration Office at 5271 E. Seltice Way. As more donations are provided, additional children can be put on our shopping list.

Citizens are asked to make a food or cash donation at upcoming food drive events in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene where police and fire departments will be participating.