Building memories and trust in Hewlett

The Nassau County Police Department treated more than 100 underprivileged children to a sopping spree valued at $100 each at Matty’s Toy Store at the Peninsula Shopping Center in Hewlett on Christmas Eve.
Selected for the shopping day from a list created by the county’s Department of Social Services, the kids strolled the store’s aisles for the toy they wanted and bumped into a visitor from the North Pole.
The NCPD’s Police Foundation and the county’s Police Benevolent Association, the Superior Officers unit and the Detectives unit helped to fund the second annual shopping excursion.
PBA President James Carver said that the police organizations wanted to plan it as close to the Christmas holiday as possible to give the children great memories. “They get to walk down the aisle and choose a toy they want,” he said. “With some other toy drives, many times, the children are assigned a gift and it’s not what they would have chosen. Most of us wake up with gifts under the tree, whereas many of these kids don’t even have a tree.”
Wesasia Williams, of Roosevelt, was choosing some Melissa and Doug wooden toys to give as gifts to her sisters. “Being able to spend Christmas with my mom and sisters is really the best,” she said, as she perused the store aisle next to Santa Claus. “I have good feelings about this Christmas.”
Another goal was to help create trust between the police, the children and their families, said NCPD Foundation Chairman Eric Blumencranz. “The police are not just for problems,” he said. “We want to help build a bond with our community. The police are the good guys. That’s the message I’d like people to receive.”
Dorothy Perell, of Hempstead, with her daughter Izzabella Lopez, received special permission to shop for a woman living in a shelter. “I am getting her nice quality educational toys for her to give her children,” she said. “She has a baby whom I know will enjoy playing with the things we chose for her.”