December 4, 2023 • 10 mins
Austin James talks with Livingston Parish Sherrif Jason Ard about their annual Christmas Crusade For Kids toy drive
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:20):
And welcome to backstage pass. Iam Austin James. And it's that time
of year again, the time ofgiving and the time of sharing, and
we always love this time of year. I was talking with Livingston Parish Sheriff
Jason Ard earlier how much I loveThanksgiving because it's the lead up, the
official quote unquote lead up to theChristmas season. But now since we are
(00:42):
in the Christmas season, it isthe giving season. And Sheriff Art is
with us today talking about the annualLivingston Parish Sheriff's Office Crusade Christmas Crusade for
kids. A lot of years,this has been going on, yes,
thirty six years, my goodness,actually started in nineteen eighty seven under Sheriff
Odom Graves, which Sheriff Wood ofGraves, a son who became Sheriff uh
(01:07):
was the chief deputy of time.And that's kind of how this program got
started. I even remember vaguely ofthem actually used they used to actually wrap
the toys. Yeah, but obviouslytoday we can't do that because just so
many of them, and and andthe program has just grown tremendously over the
years. It's just great to bea part of it. You know,
all of a sudden, it's everyyear we look forward to this. It
is a lot of work. Uh. Most of the work goes on my
(01:30):
wife, Erica, So she's kindof the Missus Claus and and the Santa
Claus. I always say, I'mthe name in the face of the program.
She sends me out to the collecttoys and the collect monetary donation.
Yes, and uh, well,the beards a thing that we do at
the office. We every year,we start in October and we let them
(01:51):
for four months. The deputies actuallypay to grow their beards. We put
that money toward not only the ChristmasCrusade, but there's other actual uh programs
and our and our paris that wesupport. That we'll actually give the money
to that too, because we're veryblessed. But just to let you know
that just the deputies alone growing thebeerds is already collected just undred twelve thousand
(02:12):
dollars. What, yes, forgrowing beers, for growing beards. I
didn't notice. I didn't know growingbeers was so important. No, but
it is. And of course theywould actually pay me a year round.
I don't let them do that,and I think it's Uh. I look
forward to the anticipation because you shouldsee them. They usually start in July,
asking me those who really can't growa beard, they need an extra
time, and hey, can Iyou know, start earlier. No,
(02:36):
We're going to wait to October thefirst. And I've even had them take
a vacation true story, a weekbefore they can start so they can get
a little jump start. Is thatright? So it's but it's became a
uh, it's a great it's agreat thing. It's fun, it's exciting
as something we look forward to doing. I'm not a bit a big fan
of it, but you see thatI'm doing my part. Sure, and
(02:57):
I usually keep my beer trimmed,but I'm actually going to see if i
can become Santa Claus. I gotsome weight to put on. Yeah,
but I mean I've watched the cartoonso many times. He does it overnight,
so I'm thinking it's going to happento me. Well, do you
get to do as far as theweight's concerned, you can have some of
mine. Now. The pickup pointsare the drop off points. Let's talk
about that. The Walmart in denOn, Walmart and Watson and Walker right
(03:21):
right, So all three were andbass pro so we actually start that every
year has been a tradition right afterthe Saturday after Thanksgiving. We're there Saturday
and Sunday, and the next twoweekends Friday, Saturday Sunday after So the
last day that will be at thethree Walmart locations in Livingston and bass Pro
will be the actual December tenth.We've delivered the toys on December to eleventh.
(03:43):
So there's a lot of businesses thatcollect toys for us and and monetary
donations, so we ask you toget that stuff to us if you can
by December to eleventh. Now,monetary donations they are important, but if
it checks a little late, it'sokay. We put it toward the next
season. But the toys are it'skind of difficult for us to store.
So if you can get those tous by December eleventh, that will tremendously
(04:05):
help in the bagging situations. That'swhen we actually start bagging the toys and
getting them prepared for delivery day,which will be on December to fifteenth.
Now to back up, actually startingthis past Monday, which runs through decembery
eighth for two weeks is when weactually take applications where people come in and
sign up to be a recipient ofthe Christmas cruseade. Okay, now,
(04:27):
how do you know what kind oftoys to deliver to children? Do they
submit lists? Is it random?Because I've seen bicycles and I've seen all
kinds of stuff at your storage facility. So we're very blessed. We have
a lot of people that donate.We had a company this year donated us
a lot of bikes and so wewere we get a few of them,
(04:49):
but we have a lot this year. So we're going to actually, you
know, ask you know, parentsif their kid can have a bike,
if they have a neighborhood to ridea bike of some kids are just not
in the neighborhood they can ride bikes. We live on the main highway,
what have you. So that goeson. But what is unique about this
is we actually Erica starts early andasking around the office of people that have
(05:11):
different age kids what is the hotitem this year? What does your kid
want for Christmas? And so weknow what the hot item is because we
want to make sure our goal isto make sure these kids have a merry
Christmas and we want them to havethe best that we can. We can
give them, and we want tomake sure that they actually have a Barbie
Doll that is the end Barbie Dollthat year, or the action figure,
(05:31):
maybe a Spider Man this year.And you know their Marvel Marvel Batman.
I mean you don't. You don'tknow what it is, you know.
So we want to make sure wehave the right gift for them. So
when you walk in to sign up, she actually has a display case show
you what you know. Toys areavailable. We let the parents kind of
pick out what they think the kidwants. And so that's kind of where
(05:53):
it starts at. And so andagain our goal is to make sure that
they have a merry Christmas. Wewant I want those kids to enjoy Christmas
Morning like we do. And that'swhat it's always been about. And so
it is important to have those thetoys that are the hot items. And
then we're able to provide that wellafter the giveaway. If you have an
extra like bright let me know.Now, can someone make a monetary donation
(06:16):
through your website? So we askedthem to go and download our LPSO app.
So Leavis and Paris shriffes that wenow have a new app. Please
download it. You and get allyour information. We push you out a
lot of information on there and it'llhave anything that you need to do where
you need to send the checks toa We are a nonprofit. I have
a one three C. You canhave a tax right off. We'll send
(06:39):
you the letter. So any bigcompanies out there, they're looking for a
good tax right off, we wantthat tax right We want to be your
tax right off. And we provideso much for our community. This is
Levison Parish Base and we do alot of with this to give back to
our community. And it's just agreat program to give to and so we
ask you to do that. Solook down our app go there, give
(07:00):
you all the information you can findout. Some of these days when we're
gonna be at the Walmart locations wherewe accepting toys at when we accept in
applications, you can actually if forsome reason you can't make it to us
because you maybe you have disability issues, let us know. We'll send a
deputy to your home. We'll doanything we can to make this program works.
(07:20):
Cray you, that's what it's about. I love that. It's it's
so community enriched. Yes, thisthis whole thing I've admired it for years
and years, and I'm so gladthat I heard media bat Ridge is a
part of it again. The websiteto get more information lpso dot org.
(07:41):
Lpso dot org. Very simple,very easy, and very loving with these
folks. I've been dealing with thesethese giveaways, these crusades for many,
many years, and I have totell y'all the the whole thing runs like
a well oiled machine thanks to shareAfard and of course its predecessors as well,
(08:01):
But I mean the whole deal.When you see these kids' eyes get
big as plates when they see allthese really cool toys, it really makes
all the hard work all that morespecial. It's so heartwarming to hear a
lot of the stories. So wehave, you know, a lot of
(08:22):
these deputies that come in themselves becausethey were at a residence having to deal
with something else, and they'll comeand sign this family up, say look,
I was here last night or lastweek, and his family's in need,
and I want to be a partof this, so they'll actually sign
this family up. They come thatmorning on delivery day. They want to
be the ones to deliver those toysbecause they want the kids to see that
Hey, well, I'm not sucha bad guy. I'm just having to
(08:43):
do my job. I can goon wrong with those kind of stories,
but the best one for me isthe folks that come up and write a
check to us and tell you thatthey're doing this because this program helped them
at one time and now they're ina better, better place. They want
to give back because they know whatit did for them. And that's when
(09:05):
you know that you know what thisthis is. This is a great blessing
to be able to do this.And look, we couldn't do this without
our community, the business and fromthe small business of the big businesses,
just to everybody. This is ahuge effort on the whole community and it
makes this program tick and it's whathappens every single year, and so I
look forward to that and the gettingin one of those blue and whites and
(09:30):
going into a neighborhood and you getthis. It's crazy. You go into
the neighborhood and people just these kidsjust run up to like they know what's
going on. They know it's hey, is my name? Does does I
have a toy in there? Theywant to know if they're a part of
this program. And so that justreally lights you know, lightens up your
day and it just it's just awesome. Yeah, Santus helpers are everywhere with
the livings and parish Sheriff's office,sheriff are thanks for talking with us,
(09:52):
Good luck with it and we'll bein touch. Thank you all. Richmas,
Merry Christmas, and that of coursewas living in parish Sheriff Jason Art
with the Christmas Crusade for kids onbackstage past I am Austin James. More
episodes are available on your free iHeartRadioapp or wherever you get your podcasts.
And welcome to backstage pass. Iam Austin James. And it's that time
of year again, the time ofgiving and the time of sharing, and
we always love this time of year. I was talking with Livingston Parish Sheriff
Jason Ard earlier how much I loveThanksgiving because it's the lead up, the
official quote unquote lead up to theChristmas season. But now since we are
(00:42):
in the Christmas season, it isthe giving season. And Sheriff Art is
with us today talking about the annualLivingston Parish Sheriff's Office Crusade Christmas Crusade for
kids. A lot of years,this has been going on, yes,
thirty six years, my goodness,actually started in nineteen eighty seven under Sheriff
Odom Graves, which Sheriff Wood ofGraves, a son who became Sheriff uh
(01:07):
was the chief deputy of time.And that's kind of how this program got
started. I even remember vaguely ofthem actually used they used to actually wrap
the toys. Yeah, but obviouslytoday we can't do that because just so
many of them, and and andthe program has just grown tremendously over the
years. It's just great to bea part of it. You know,
all of a sudden, it's everyyear we look forward to this. It
is a lot of work. Uh. Most of the work goes on my
(01:30):
wife, Erica, So she's kindof the Missus Claus and and the Santa
Claus. I always say, I'mthe name in the face of the program.
She sends me out to the collecttoys and the collect monetary donation.
Yes, and uh, well,the beards a thing that we do at
the office. We every year,we start in October and we let them
(01:51):
for four months. The deputies actuallypay to grow their beards. We put
that money toward not only the ChristmasCrusade, but there's other actual uh programs
and our and our paris that wesupport. That we'll actually give the money
to that too, because we're veryblessed. But just to let you know
that just the deputies alone growing thebeerds is already collected just undred twelve thousand
(02:12):
dollars. What, yes, forgrowing beers, for growing beards. I
didn't notice. I didn't know growingbeers was so important. No, but
it is. And of course theywould actually pay me a year round.
I don't let them do that,and I think it's Uh. I look
forward to the anticipation because you shouldsee them. They usually start in July,
asking me those who really can't growa beard, they need an extra
time, and hey, can Iyou know, start earlier. No,
(02:36):
We're going to wait to October thefirst. And I've even had them take
a vacation true story, a weekbefore they can start so they can get
a little jump start. Is thatright? So it's but it's became a
uh, it's a great it's agreat thing. It's fun, it's exciting
as something we look forward to doing. I'm not a bit a big fan
of it, but you see thatI'm doing my part. Sure, and
(02:57):
I usually keep my beer trimmed,but I'm actually going to see if i
can become Santa Claus. I gotsome weight to put on. Yeah,
but I mean I've watched the cartoonso many times. He does it overnight,
so I'm thinking it's going to happento me. Well, do you
get to do as far as theweight's concerned, you can have some of
mine. Now. The pickup pointsare the drop off points. Let's talk
about that. The Walmart in denOn, Walmart and Watson and Walker right
(03:21):
right, So all three were andbass pro so we actually start that every
year has been a tradition right afterthe Saturday after Thanksgiving. We're there Saturday
and Sunday, and the next twoweekends Friday, Saturday Sunday after So the
last day that will be at thethree Walmart locations in Livingston and bass Pro
will be the actual December tenth.We've delivered the toys on December to eleventh.
(03:43):
So there's a lot of businesses thatcollect toys for us and and monetary
donations, so we ask you toget that stuff to us if you can
by December to eleventh. Now,monetary donations they are important, but if
it checks a little late, it'sokay. We put it toward the next
season. But the toys are it'skind of difficult for us to store.
So if you can get those tous by December eleventh, that will tremendously
(04:05):
help in the bagging situations. That'swhen we actually start bagging the toys and
getting them prepared for delivery day,which will be on December to fifteenth.
Now to back up, actually startingthis past Monday, which runs through decembery
eighth for two weeks is when weactually take applications where people come in and
sign up to be a recipient ofthe Christmas cruseade. Okay, now,
(04:27):
how do you know what kind oftoys to deliver to children? Do they
submit lists? Is it random?Because I've seen bicycles and I've seen all
kinds of stuff at your storage facility. So we're very blessed. We have
a lot of people that donate.We had a company this year donated us
a lot of bikes and so wewere we get a few of them,
(04:49):
but we have a lot this year. So we're going to actually, you
know, ask you know, parentsif their kid can have a bike,
if they have a neighborhood to ridea bike of some kids are just not
in the neighborhood they can ride bikes. We live on the main highway,
what have you. So that goeson. But what is unique about this
is we actually Erica starts early andasking around the office of people that have
(05:11):
different age kids what is the hotitem this year? What does your kid
want for Christmas? And so weknow what the hot item is because we
want to make sure our goal isto make sure these kids have a merry
Christmas and we want them to havethe best that we can. We can
give them, and we want tomake sure that they actually have a Barbie
Doll that is the end Barbie Dollthat year, or the action figure,
(05:31):
maybe a Spider Man this year.And you know their Marvel Marvel Batman.
I mean you don't. You don'tknow what it is, you know.
So we want to make sure wehave the right gift for them. So
when you walk in to sign up, she actually has a display case show
you what you know. Toys areavailable. We let the parents kind of
pick out what they think the kidwants. And so that's kind of where
(05:53):
it starts at. And so andagain our goal is to make sure that
they have a merry Christmas. Wewant I want those kids to enjoy Christmas
Morning like we do. And that'swhat it's always been about. And so
it is important to have those thetoys that are the hot items. And
then we're able to provide that wellafter the giveaway. If you have an
extra like bright let me know.Now, can someone make a monetary donation
(06:16):
through your website? So we askedthem to go and download our LPSO app.
So Leavis and Paris shriffes that wenow have a new app. Please
download it. You and get allyour information. We push you out a
lot of information on there and it'llhave anything that you need to do where
you need to send the checks toa We are a nonprofit. I have
a one three C. You canhave a tax right off. We'll send
(06:39):
you the letter. So any bigcompanies out there, they're looking for a
good tax right off, we wantthat tax right We want to be your
tax right off. And we provideso much for our community. This is
Levison Parish Base and we do alot of with this to give back to
our community. And it's just agreat program to give to and so we
ask you to do that. Solook down our app go there, give
(07:00):
you all the information you can findout. Some of these days when we're
gonna be at the Walmart locations wherewe accepting toys at when we accept in
applications, you can actually if forsome reason you can't make it to us
because you maybe you have disability issues, let us know. We'll send a
deputy to your home. We'll doanything we can to make this program works.
(07:20):
Cray you, that's what it's about. I love that. It's it's
so community enriched. Yes, thisthis whole thing I've admired it for years
and years, and I'm so gladthat I heard media bat Ridge is a
part of it again. The websiteto get more information lpso dot org.
(07:41):
Lpso dot org. Very simple,very easy, and very loving with these
folks. I've been dealing with thesethese giveaways, these crusades for many,
many years, and I have totell y'all the the whole thing runs like
a well oiled machine thanks to shareAfard and of course its predecessors as well,
(08:01):
But I mean the whole deal.When you see these kids' eyes get
big as plates when they see allthese really cool toys, it really makes
all the hard work all that morespecial. It's so heartwarming to hear a
lot of the stories. So wehave, you know, a lot of
(08:22):
these deputies that come in themselves becausethey were at a residence having to deal
with something else, and they'll comeand sign this family up, say look,
I was here last night or lastweek, and his family's in need,
and I want to be a partof this, so they'll actually sign
this family up. They come thatmorning on delivery day. They want to
be the ones to deliver those toysbecause they want the kids to see that
Hey, well, I'm not sucha bad guy. I'm just having to
(08:43):
do my job. I can goon wrong with those kind of stories,
but the best one for me isthe folks that come up and write a
check to us and tell you thatthey're doing this because this program helped them
at one time and now they're ina better, better place. They want
to give back because they know whatit did for them. And that's when
(09:05):
you know that you know what thisthis is. This is a great blessing
to be able to do this.And look, we couldn't do this without
our community, the business and fromthe small business of the big businesses,
just to everybody. This is ahuge effort on the whole community and it
makes this program tick and it's whathappens every single year, and so I
look forward to that and the gettingin one of those blue and whites and
(09:30):
going into a neighborhood and you getthis. It's crazy. You go into
the neighborhood and people just these kidsjust run up to like they know what's
going on. They know it's hey, is my name? Does does I
have a toy in there? Theywant to know if they're a part of
this program. And so that justreally lights you know, lightens up your
day and it just it's just awesome. Yeah, Santus helpers are everywhere with
the livings and parish Sheriff's office,sheriff are thanks for talking with us,
(09:52):
Good luck with it and we'll bein touch. Thank you all. Richmas,
Merry Christmas, and that of coursewas living in parish Sheriff Jason Art
with the Christmas Crusade for kids onbackstage past I am Austin James. More
episodes are available on your free iHeartRadioapp or wherever you get your podcasts.
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