When Melissa Whittington headed down to the local Walmart with her stepson Phillip, she had no idea they would soon be on the receiving end of an incredible act of kindness. That act was generated by the North Point Police Department in Florida, as they were in the midst of conducting what they refer to as ‘Operation Santa Surprise.’
As Little Things shares, the whole thing was captured on video, and this is definitely one you’ll want to check out. As Melissa and Phillip approach the store, they notice that an elderly gentleman is struggling with his bags. He ends up dropping them, and his items spill all over the sidewalk. Melissa doesn’t hesitate to stop and lend a hand, and she ends up striking up a conversation with the man, an 89-year-old WWII veteran named Bill Greenham.
She ends up sharing that it’s actually Philip’s ninth birthday, and that he’s being an awesome sport about the fact that the family had to forego presents this year for financial reasons. That’s when an officer from NPPD steps in, and he finds out what Phillip wants. Turns out the whole thing was a setup, and Greenham is actually a volunteer with the police department.
The officers reward anyone that stops to help him throughout the day, including Phillip, who would get the brand new skateboard he wanted for his birthday. The video captures some pretty epic reactions from the people that ‘fell for it,’ and it’s a perfect lesson for the community about paying it forward.
The scene played out over the holidays – hence the ‘Santa Surprise’ – and it provided an opportunity for officers with the North Point Police Department to not only give back a little, but also to interact with some members of the community that they serve. It’ll be interesting to see if their little experiment catches on in other jurisdictions, as it truly is a wonderful outreach program that can help members of the community view police officers in a whole new light.
Source: Little Things
Photo: Little Things
