Portales students give big for Christmas

PORTALES — Santa will have a sleigh full of presents to hand out on Dec. 16, thanks to donations by Portales school students.

Portales Police Chief Pat Gallegos and School Resource Officer Eric Muller on Thursday accepted a check from Lindsey Steiner Elementary School students for Santa Cop, an event the department holds annually to distribute toys to less fortunate children.

The $389 check was in good company, joining a $600 check from Portales Junior High School and a donation of 75 toys from Portales High School.

The checks were earned from two “buyouts” — events students can pay to attend instead of class — in which students faced off against the officers in a dodgeball match at Lindsey Steiner and a volleyball game at PJHS.

“The kids, they were ready for it. We had the fifth-grade and sixth-grade come in, playing against law enforcement, to include our agency. Adult probation was out here. Teachers participated with us. We had a great time,” Muller said.

Gallegos said the officers won the games, “but we were sore for two weeks afterward.”

The students and staff of Lindsey Steiner were asked to hold the buyouts by Muller, and the school was happy to oblige, according to Principal Rebecca Flen.

“Being in the schools for as long as I’ve been here, I know that there’s definitely a great need for activities, not just from schools doing things for kids, but throughout the community,” she said, “to support the children and at least be able to provide them with a little bit of something, and help take a little bit of stress off parents.”

Muller said he was grateful for an opportunity to help the community while having fun with local students.

“When we can do these things and interact with the kids, and to see their faces in everything they do, it’s a blast,” he said.

Santa Cop is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 16 in Portales’ Memorial Building. Participants are asked to register at the Portales Police Department ahead of the event.