NEW BOSTON — Santa Claus delivers a few days early in New Boston each year, accompanied by the New Boston police and fire departments and other village volunteers. Officer Diane Davis said the New Boston Police Department is now accepting names and donations for this year’s Christmas Program, to deliver gifts to needy children in Scioto County.

“I’ve been with the (New Boston Police Department) almost 10 years and this will be my ninth year with the Christmas Fund,” Davis said. She said she enjoys helping the children who otherwise would have very little, or nothing at all, for Christmas.

Applications are available at the New Boston Police Department and the deadline is Nov. 15, and new, unwrapped gift donations can also be delivered to the police department.

“They have to be unwrapped because we have to stick to age-ranges for the children. We can’t give a 2 year old something meant for an 8 year old. So if it comes in wrapped we’ll have to unwrap it and label it and re-wrap it,” Davis said.

Cash and check donations will also be accepted at the police department, or can be directly deposited into the New Boston Police Christmas Fund account at any Desco location.

Also helping out each year, bikers collect donations from motorists outside Walmart in New Boston on the “Black Friday” shopping day after Thanksgiving and split the collection between the New Boston Christmas program and Portsmouth Fire Department. Davis said there may be additional fundraisers planned later in the season to help collect money. Money raised for the program will be used to purchase more toys.

The program also needs volunteers to help label and wrap all of the toys and gifts. Last year, the police department had some helpful elves from Daymar College in New Boston wrapping gifts.

A few days before Christmas, all of the gifts will be loaded-up and delivered to the children by Santa Claus. Last year the New Boston Christmas program delivered toys and gifts to more than 500 needy children in Scioto County.

“I love seeing their faces when the stuff is delivered. These kids are going to wake up Christmas morning, and it may not be much but at least it’s something under that tree for them,” Davis said.

She said the parents are always welcoming and appreciative when Santa arrives at their doorstep.

RYAN SCOTT OTTNEY can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 235, or rottney@heartlandpublications.com.