Lansdowne police laud local family for unwavering help with holiday toy drive

The Lansdowne Police Department’s annual holiday toy drive generally sees robust participation from many members of the community, but one local family stands out.

“The Parsons Family have been huge supporters of our annual holiday drive, and this year is no exception!” reads a Dec. 12 Facebook post from the department. “We’re so fortunate to have them as part of our community!”

Lansdowne Police Chief Kenneth Rutherford explained that the Parsons’ son Mason, now in high school, has been a major contributor to the drive for years. 

“That was his thing as a young man,” Rutherford said. Mason told his parents, Cindy and Steve, that “this is what I want to do.”

And that tradition has continued in the seventh year of the toy drive, which connects families in need with donations of toys and even grocery-store gift cards or other necessities for struggling single parents or displaced families. “I know they came in with a bunch of toys today,” Rutherford said of the Parsons.

The police department also received many donations during Lansdowne’s Dec. 13 Christmas parade. 

“We do well with the drive — I mean, my front room is filled with toys,” Rutherford said.

Once all the toys are collected, Sgt. Mike Miller connects with the families who have been referred for extra help and asks whether they’d prefer to come pick up the gifts or have them delivered. For the latter, “we load up with Santa on the fire truck and a bunch of police cars, and we’ll go and deliver them,” Rutherford said. Santa delivers one present, and firemen surreptitiously give the rest of the items to parents so they can be under families’ trees for Christmas morning.

Santa’s special delivery to local families in need this year is set for the evening of Dec. 19.