News 2014: UMass Dartmouth helps make holidays brighter for local families

News 2014: UMass Dartmouth helps make holidays brighter for local families
UMass Dartmouth helps make holidays brighter for local families

Close to $4,000 worth of toys donated to Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford

UMass Dartmouth Police Department this week delivered close to $4,000 worth of toys to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford. The UMass Dartmouth Police were thankful for the entire UMass Dartmouth community for their generous donations for this year's toy drive to benefit local children and families. Contributions were made by the IBPO Local 399, the UMass Dartmouth Class of 2015, the UMass Dartmouth Gaming Society, Humans vs. Zombies and the UMass Dartmouth men's and women's Rugby Club.

The Gaming Society raised $1200 and more than $1400 was raised at the UMassD Police Department's Quarters for Christmas event. At the UMass Dartmouth holiday party, Chancellor Divina Grossman asked faculty and staff to bring an unwrapped toy to make someone else's holiday brighter. These toys were added to those already donated from the "Stuff a Cruiser" toy drive in which a UMass Dartmouth police cruiser was stuffed with toys donated by the university community, and the money collected from "Quarters for Christmas", an annual event in which the UMassD community enjoys hot dogs sold for 75 cents, was used to purchase toys as well.

The Quarters for Christmas has been a 17 year endeavor begun by UMass Dartmouth Police Officer Dennis Tucker and continued by current Crime Prevention Officer Steven Mello. The police department has collaborated with the Massachusetts State Police for the last several years. This partnership was made possible through the efforts of UMass Dartmouth Alumnus Jose Gonsalves, Massachusetts State Police Lieutenant (Retired).