By Claudia Lugo –

This Christmas season Worcester Police are not allowing a pandemic to stop them from spreading some holiday cheer to area kids in need.

It all reads like a Christmas story unlike any other and this one, all started with a “Giving Tree” set up in the Operations Division at the Worcester Police Station. Members of the WPD picked an ornament from this “Giving Tree”, an ornament which represented a kid in need and then went out and purchased a gift for that kid.

The “Giving Tree” was organized by Worcester police officer Rebecka Mailea and with the help of her colleagues gifts were purchased for more than 550 local kids. Some included the kids at Why Me Sherry’s House, a Worcester based non-profit organization created to help Central New England families cope with childhood cancer.

Gifts were also given to families from the 747 Military Police Unit of the United States Army National Guard.