Operation Blue Santa Honors Holiday Spirit of Giving

SAN ANGELO, TX – During the holidays, many people get caught up in the hectic hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping. However, sometimes, in their own focus of what gaming console, toys and games to buy their own children, they may not realize there are some parents out there wondering if they can even provide their children with a Christmas tree, much less buy presents.

To help those families, and to help give back to the community, the San Angelo Coalition of Police (SACOP) started Operation Blue Santa 10 years ago.

“I brought up the idea of doing a Shop With a Cop program,” said Officer Brian Bylsma, who oversees the program.

When he was in the U.S. Military here in San Angelo, Officer Bylsma saw this program being done, but it died out.

“After I became a police officer, I noticed it wasn’t being done,” he noted.

So, he brought it up to the Association, and Sgt. Kennedy was the president at the time.

“He said, ‘Go ahead and do it, but since you brought it up, you’re the point of contact,’” Bylsma recalled.

The goal of the program is to partner with the local school districts. Each elementary school in the districts give SACOP at least two names of students. Overall, the students’ ages range from kindergarten to 5th grade.

“When we first started, the very first year, we only had like 14 to 18 kids, somewhere in that area,” explained Bylsma. “We spent a little over $2,000.”

Since then, in the last 10 years, they have gotten to the point where they’ve helped 46 kids at a time because of the amount of money donated. SACOP also reached out to Grape Creek ISD.

“Then we brought in TLCA and anybody an officer might see,” Officer Bylsma said. “We take referrals from the officers.”

Dr. Carl Dethloff, SAISD Superintendent, said, "Operation Blue Santa is one of the most touching means of assistance that SAISD students and families receive. The San Angelo Coalition of Police organization has helped literally hundreds since the program's inception, and the assistance has met great needs, in addition to encouraging and lifting the spirits of recepients."

Bylsma said the program is designed to accomplish two goals: one, to help the kids and struggling families of circumstances beyond their control have a happy Christmas; and two, to ensure the kids, when their young, mingle with the officers and know they aren’t always the bad guy.

“It allows the kids to see us in a different light,” said Officer Bylsma. “Some of them, not necessarily all of them, but some of them.”

Officer Bylsma said he has had kids whose fathers, uncles, aunts, and other family members were arrested by SAPD. Or, officers have shown up to their homes for domestic violence calls.

In this case, they’re in a different arena, as opposed to when there’s chaos going on, noted Bylsma.

In the time SACOP has engaged in this program, the Association has spent a little over $75,000, and all the money raised goes back into the community.

“The first year we did the Blue Santa, the second year we added Thanksgiving meals,” Bylsma said. “That program’s not really publicized a whole lot.”

Officer Bylsma said this is because officers feel the parents may be embarrassed that they can’t provide for their families. Thus, this program “sits on the low burners to where it doesn’t get publicized.”

He said them doing the program gets recognition, but the families’ names remain private.

“This will be the 9th year for that,” he noted.

That program is designed for middle schoolers and high schoolers. They get two students from each middle school, CFC, and one student per high school.

The meals are geared towards the family, and they put together a basket during Thanksgiving.

Bylsma stated, “We average about $600 every year on that.”

Officer Bylsma said, out of all the programs they engage in, Blue Santa is by far the Association’s favorite.

“I really, really think the officers have a better time with it,” he laughed. “They have fun.”

He added that each officer has his or her own reason for engaging in Blue Santa, which is volunteer service. Officer Bylsma, in the last 10 years, has personally taken one child shopping. His reasons for doing this is because he’s a public servant, and he wouldn’t be doing this job if he didn’t care about the community, whether it was here, back home or wherever he was stationed. He’s also been a police officer for 38 years, including in the U.S. Military.

“Here, I look at it to where I’m pretty fortunate to where I’ve got a good income coming in, but not everybody’s that way,” Bylsma stated. “I was raised that if you’re able to help someone, to help them.”

He said over the 10 years, he, along with the other officers, have done that. They have helped many families.

The kids chosen just don’t buy for themselves, either. They buy for their siblings and other family members.

“We’ve been able to impact, in one form or fashion, at least 326 families in the last 10 years,” said Bylsma.

He’s hoping, since he’s getting close to retirement, that someone will step up to the plate and take over the program to keep it going.

“I do have to say one thing," he said. "We couldn’t have accomplished anything that we’ve done over the last 10 years--we couldn’t have impacted that many kids and the amount of families we have for the Thanksgiving meals--if it wasn’t for the generosity of the citizens of this town. Because this program is completely funded by donations.”

Officer Bylsma said there are businesses and individuals who give money every year. They send out letters to all the members of the Chamber of Commerce.

“I start this in August, and it goes until December.”

Two years ago, a lady who works at Lone Star Beef heard a radio commercial about Blue Santa, and since then has donated $3,000. In the last three years, the business has donated $9,000.

“We’re very appreciative of them,” said Bylsma.

By far, Lone Star is the largest donator, Bylsma said; however, other companies have donated as much as $1,000, and all funds donated make a difference.

“We’ve had some large donations given to us to be able to put this thing on,” said Bylsma.

The amount of kids SACOP helps, and the money members are able to spend, depends on what they raise each year.

The officers do this all on their time. They’re volunteers, and the highest amount of kids they have had at once was 46. They split them up in two shifts, and they average about 25 to 30 officers at a time.

Walmart in north San Angelo has been very gracious to the program over the years, noted Officer Bylsma.

“They supply all the space, all the wrapping paper, everything we need for these kids to wrap things up,” he added.

If they need bows, or if a child bought a bike and didn’t have a helmet, staff would give kids a helmet.

Bylsma said a stipulation they have is those kids who buy bikes must buy helmets.

“It’s hard for me to tell them that they can ride a bike without a helmet when I teach Safety City,” he said.

This year, Operation Blue Santa is about $3,000 less than what they had last year at this time, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have the money on time.

However, to help get Blue Santa on track, people are encouraged to donate whatever they can. They can call Officer Bylsma at (325) 657-4307.

The easiest way to donate, Bylsma said, is to write a check, or get a money order; make it payable to the San Angelo Coalition of Police (SACOP); write “Operation Blue Santa” in the memo line; put it in an envelope; and mail it to P.O. Box 804, San Angelo, TX 76902.

Bylsma reiterated that people can donate whatever is feasible, whether that’s $5 or $3,000. Any amount helps.

Previously, the Association used to get grants through Walmart, but now they no longer qualify because they are a 501(c5) organization rather than a 501(c), so they no longer qualify for grants. Thus, their resources have changed as a result, but they’re making it happen with the community’s help.

Also, donations can be sent anytime during the year, Bylsma said. As long as it says “Operation Blue Santa,” members will put it in that account.

Editor's Note: After initially publishing this story, SAISD responded to our request to comment on Operation Blue Santa. The Superintendent's response has been added to the story.