City of Tyler’s special Santa initiatives seek to bring holiday cheer

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Thanks to the City of Tyler, Santa’s colors are not just red and white anymore.

City officials are preparing for the holidays with two community events intended to spread holiday cheer: Blue Santa and Silver Santa.

Silver Santa is an effort to spread holiday cheer to the city’s elderly and homebound residents. The Tyler Animal Control and Shelter and the Tyler Police Department will deliver a collection of Christmas cards to the assisted living areas in Tyler.

“Seniors are, those, they’re the people that help us get to where we’re at,” City of Tyler Animal Control Supervisor Mary Fowler said.

The city is asking for donations of blank Christmas cards that will be signed and given out in the community. Cards can be dropped off over the next week at the Tyler Animal Shelter at 4218 Chandler Hwy Monday-Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm. The cards will be delivered on December 19th.

“It’s just a little bit more for them, a little bit more of home, especially older people when they’ve lost their family, we want to be their family. We want to be there to give them that support and tell them, ‘Hey, we’re here for you,’” Fowler said.

Blue Santa, meanwhile, is a community-wide event hosted by Tyler Police to spread holiday cheer to children in need, some who are victims or witnesses of crimes.

“People that you know can’t really afford a good Christmas, we want to help it just a little bit better,” Fowler said. “Man, just watching the kids light up when they get those stuffed animals is great.”

According to the website: “Every year hundreds of police officers in the East Texas area take hundreds of children Christmas shopping. Most of these children are victims or witnesses of crimes. The last time a child comes into contact with an officer should not be remembered as the worst day of that child’s life.”

“Their parents are so happy because this is stuff that they wouldn’t be able to do for them,” Fowler said.

To sign a child up for Blue Santa, click here.

To donate to Blue Santa, click here.

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