Santa, all dressed in blue, held a quick photo session with youngsters as parents picked up garbage bags full of toys, courtesy of Port Arthur Police Department’s Blue Santa Program.

For more than 20 years, PAPD’s Blue Santa Program has helped families make the holidays merrier. This year more than 200 children received toys, PAPD Officer Mike Hebert said. The event was held at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center on Monday.

In addition to the 200 children helped, some families included were victims of home burglaries.

“This is great for the kids and great for the department,” Hebert said. “It’s also great for the mothers who have told us this is a burden taken off their shoulders and helps them out.”

Hebert said this year they received the largest toy donation ever in the program. The following were contributors: BASF, Allen Samuels, Krewe of Camo and the law firm of Bradley, Steele and Pierce. In addition, Adam Cavasos and employees with A&F Trucking donated 30 bicycles.

“This is definitely the biggest toy donation we’ve had,” Hebert added.

Families, several at a time, entered the civic center, where they picked up the toys and bicycles, posed with Santa and grabbed a snack.

Latrice Perry stood back and took cell phone photos as daughter Ka’liyah Thomas, 4, met with Santa.

“This is a good cause,” Perry said.

Six-year-old Chad Callahan climbed atop his brand new bike as mom Lydia Guidry held her one-month-old son and watched her 20-month-old son in a nearby stroller.

“This is really a good thing,” Guidry said.

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