ACPD officers welcome gift contributions for their annual Fill the Police Cruiser gift drive. Photo by Shirley Ruhe.
Cars line up in the Harrison Shopping Center parking lot on Nov. 20 to drop off toys at the contactless, drive-thru Fill the Cruiser Holiday Toy Drive event. It was sponsored by the Arlington County Police Department.
Corporal Steven Wallate puts up a large sign directing the drivers to the flashing police cruisers parked in the lot in front of Harris Teeter where a crowd of officers stand ready to accept the toys.
This is the sixth year for the toy drive, but things have changed. Tiny feet skipping across the parking lot loaded with legos and Barbie Dolls have been replaced by faces inside the car handing toys out the window to police officers with masks. Officer Michael Keen accepts toys from a trunk loaded with “toys of all kinds for kids of all ages.”
Officer Harley Guenther, wearing her holiday hat, greets cars as they drive through to drop off their contributions. Brooks is in training as a service dog and is enjoying his first Holiday Toy Drive, wagging his tail to greet every visitor who arrives on foot.
The ACPD will hold three additional events: Ballston Quarter Nov, 23 from 5-7 p.m.; Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Dec. 1 from 5-7 p.m. and Arlington Assembly of God on December 2 from 5-7 p.m.