Ceres police kick off toy drive for underprivileged

As folks are out snapping up Black Friday bargains – or doing any other Christmas shopping this season – the Ceres Police Department asks that they get a little something extra for an underprivileged child.

The department began its third annual Beards for Kids toys drive Friday. It is collecting new, unwrapped toys for children ranging from newborn to age 17. All of the toys donated will be delivered by Santa Claus himself and Police Department officers and staff throughout the Ceres community.

“We’ll take any toy we can get,” said Sgt. Jason Coley, saying there is no price suggestion. He did note that in the first two years of the drive, most donations have been for kids in the 7-and-younger age range. “If we get monetary proceeds our association raises, we go out and target those ages where we had a lack of toys,” he said.

The toy drive has its name because Ceres officers a few days ago began growing beards for the Christmas season, Coley said, to increase awareness of underprivileged children in Ceres.

Drop-off locations for the Beards for Kids drive are the Police Department lobby, 2727 Third St.; the Ceres Community Center, 2701 Fourth St.; and the Dollar General store at 2531 E. Whitmore Ave.

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 7:41 AM with the headline "Ceres police kick off toy drive for underprivileged."