Page 29 - January 2020 FOP Magazine

Here comes Operation Santa
The drive of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation manifests in this spectacular event that brings joy to the world of the Chicago Police every year
Kelly Gary and daughter Tess look at one of the gifts she received from Operation Santa.
n BY MITCHELL KRUGEL
n PHOTOS BY JAMES PINTO AND FRANK ALATORRE
Sofia Marmolejo is all smiles after receiving a
special gift while sisters Becca, left, and Madalyn From left, Crystal, Angelina, Ebony and Julian
Look what Operation Santa brought little Tess Gary. A Lego Duplo Disney Mickey Mouse House. And Anna and Elsa Frozen 2 dolls. And a promise to pay for her entire education. And a smile for her mom, Kelly, who has not had enough of them since she lost her beloved Conrad in the line of duty a year ago. “It puts a smile on our faces just to see a smile on her face,” con- fides Michael Gary while watching the Operation Santa detail gather at his daughter-in-law’s home.
Look what Operation Santa brought to the family of Samuel Jimenez. As Sam’s oldest, Ebony, passed out rice pudding to the nearly 50 people serving as Santa’s helpers and Honor Guard Unit soloist Arturo Andonaegui grooved “Silent Night” in Span- ish, then led a sing-along to “Frosty the Snowman,” heartening cheer and joy filled a house that truly deserves as much as it can get. The officer lost in November 2018 nearly came to life this day.
And look what Operation Santa brought Sofia Marmole- jo. Even older sisters Becca and Maddie lost it when Sofia un- wrapped a Frozen 2 castle nearly as big as she is. Even bigger than the bike Operation Santa brought Maddie. The anniver- sary of losing their father Lalo was coming the next day, but it couldn’t have been further away for Maria Marmolejo when she joked with the dozen or so officers in her house, “Who is staying to help build this castle?”
Since 2007 – when the visits to houses of fallen and injured
share her joy.
Jimenez feel the celebration of Operation Santa.
officers were made on Christmas Eve and the last one came around 10:30 p.m. – the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s (CPMF) Operation Santa has been coming to town with a sacred ability to deliver an almost indescribable elation to families of Chicago Police Officers. And to the dozens of Chicago Police Of- ficers who participate.
Operation Santa 2019 spread its unrelenting never-forgetting to the Gary and Marmolejo homes for the first time, for the sec- ond time to the Jimenez family and Paul Bauer’s family and to 21 other families of fallen, injured and deployed Chicago Police Officers. What Operation Santa truly brings was so magnificent- ly epitomized when, at the end of the visit to their house, Erin and Grace Bauer hugged each of the 9th District officers who came to stand guard on the front walk, as is one of the event’s many iconic traditions.
“These are days to make the families feel important, feel needed,” declares CPMF Executive Director Phil Cline, the for- mer CPD superintendent who everybody in and around Oper- ation Santa still calls “boss.” Cline began the event shortly after the foundation started as a vital way to fulfill its mission, and it expanded to its current two-day format – held Dec. 14-15 this year – in 2009.
“There’s never enough we can do to make up for the loss,” he adds. “But for the families, they realize, ‘This brotherhood I belong to is still looking out for me.’”
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