Brockton Police Officer's Annual Toy Drive Donations Ruined By Water
BROCKTON (CBS) -- You might say that Brockton Police Officer Rosie Vazquez-Browne is the city's Santa Claus. There are more than a few families in Brockton who could use a little help at Christmas. And perhaps Rosie knows who they are.
So she has been putting together an annual toy drive after a moment on the job sparked the idea 17 years ago. "I went in a home, and I saw this little boy playing on the floor with one tiny little car and the apartment was very very bare of, almost even barely any furniture."
Her police cruiser is her sleigh. "I asked my chief for permission and he agreed, and I went through, all over the city, asking the businesses for donations."
The drive has been a huge success in years past, but this year, the storeroom where the toys were being kept flooded. "My heart just dropped, it dropped," said Rosie.
Since then, people have been dropping off toys at the police station.
Julie Curry heard the story and wanted to help. "I just said aw, man. That's not right. We've had so much rain. So I said, I'm going out and about now and I'll grab some stuff today and try and help replace a little bit of this."
Starting in December, Copeland Toyota and the Brockton Walmart will also have donation sites for Rosie's toys.