Police department grants holiday wishes with gift deliveries

The Glendale Police Department brought holiday cheer to 18 local families this year as officers, cadets, Explorers and community volunteers delivered gifts last week, just in time for Christmas.

Amy Tate, with the crime impact bureau of the police department, headed up the effort as part of the Cops for Kids program. She’s been involved with the project for eight years, heading it up for the past five years, though it’s been in existence for at least 25 years, she said.

Everyone involved in the project got together in the community room at police headquarters before heading off to make the gift deliveries.

Tate said there were a lot of requests for bikes this year and expressed her appreciation for those who helped make those holiday wishes come true. She also singled out the Kiwanis Club of Glendale for its support.

As police officers and Explorers arrived at the home of a local family, the father, Ohanes Baghduyan, mother, Leza Agbashyan, and their daughters, newborn Taline, Angela, 4, Aneta, 8, and Maral, 11, were there awaiting the delivery with other family members and a table full of food for their visitors to enjoy.

“I appreciated everything they have done,” Agbashyan said. “They make my children happy, and me, too, and my husband. They’ve helped us a lot.”

Baghdauyan added, “I’m happy. My kids, they’re happy.”

Leza Agbashyan, her daughter, Aneeta Baghduyan, and her husband, Ohanes Baghduyan, look at gifts their family received from the Glendale Police Department.

(Mark Kellam)

Volunteer Diane Felix, a civilian employee with the police department, was in charge of buying gifts, wrapping them and delivering them to the family.

It’s her seventh year participating in the gift-giving project through the police department.

“I just love it,” Felix said. “I know I’m very fortunate, and I know there are some families that aren’t as fortunate, and they go through hard times. It’s just nice to bring them a nice surprise. It’s something they’ll remember.”

She added that hopefully the family members will remember the generosity shown this year and will pay it forward in the future.

After the gift delivery, the police officers invited the children to come out and take a photo with them in their cruiser with the lights flashing.

As they were taking photos, a boy from a neighboring upper-level apartment came out, looking down, intrigued by what was going on.

The officers invited the boy to come down and have a photo taken with them — and then let the boy pick out a gift of his own from a bag of toys.

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