POUGHKEEPSIE – The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department is collecting donations of pies, cakes, cookies, and other desserts to deliver to selected families in time to make Thanksgiving a little sweeter for the unexpecting members of the community. The Community Policing Unit is accepting donations at the Public Safety Building at 505 Main Street on Monday, November 22, and Tuesday, November 23, from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The list of recipients includes students at Poughkeepsie High School that have been recommended by teachers, according to School Resource Officer Detective Karen Zirbel. “As we have in the past, we asked staff members to recommend a student that does their work, stays out of trouble, and sets an example for fellow classmates. The teachers that responded wrote some really nice things about their standout kids.”
In addition to the selected families, the officers also deliver the treats to local hospitals, shelters, and the fire departments.
Community Policing Officer and PBA President Kevin Van Wagner said “Our officers really enjoy helping the residents and this is a great way for us to have positive interactions with the community when we make the deliveries on Wednesday.” Van Wagner also put out a plea for donations. “We are really hoping that our local business community supports the program by donating desserts or gift cards that we can use to buy treats to help put smiles on faces this week,” he said, adding “We are also asking for individuals to drop off a dessert or donation. It’s better when we all work together.”
