University of Kentucky Police deliver toys to Kentucky Children’s Hospital

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- University of Kentucky Police completed its annual toy drive Friday afternoon with a delivery to Kentucky Children’s Hospital.

Officer elves, led by Chief Santa Claus Joe Monroe, delivered four police cruisers full of gifts for patients.

It’s the culmination of the department’s fourth annual toy drive, “Cram the Cruiser”.

“This has been our largest collection ever,” Monroe said. “We had a fantastic participation within the department and a wonderful response from the UK and Lexington community.  I want to thank everyone who donated toys and other items. This means so much to KCH patients and their families.”

The toy delivery is also, in a way, the culmination of the department’s No Shave November fundraising.

Monroe uses the beard he grows in November to transform into Santa Claus and he’s not alone.

He allows professional appearance standards exemptions for officers from October until the end of January for a $25 per month donation toward the fundraiser, which raises awareness and funds towards work against men’s health problems.

The department uses some of those funds, $1,000 this year, toward the toy drive.

The police weren’t the only ones delivering toys Friday.

3M employees from Cynthiana also help. They do it in honor of former 3M Engineer Jonathan Ard and his family. Ard was a Green Beret in the U.S. Army who served two tours of duty in Iraq before coming to 3M. He died of leukemia in 2016. His family and coworkers remember him by taking part in the toy drive.

If you want to support Kentucky Children’s Hospital’s Child Life Department, click here and here.

Cram the Cruiser is also an important event for the family of Jonathan Ard and 3M company of Cynthiana. Ard, who was a Green Beret in the U.S. Army and served two tours of duty in Iraq before returning to Kentucky and working as an engineer at 3M, died of leukemia in 2016. His family and 3M employees participate in the toy drive in his honor, and they joined “Santa” and UK Police officers Friday to deliver the items to KCH.