Santa Claus brought smiles to the faces of students at the Blind Children’s Center. (photo by Edwin Folven)

Santa Claus made an annual stop at the Blind Children’s Center on Dec. 18, spreading cheer and fulfilling holiday wishes for dozens of children and families. In a tradition dating to 1970, he arrived on a sleigh accompanied by officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Rampart Division, much to the delight of the young students.

Blind Children’s Center CEO Sarah E. Orth said the children were brimming with excitement for weeks in anticipation of the festive event. The families erupted in cheers as a police car with lights flashing towed the sleigh into the center’s parking lot, and Santa climbed down to greet the children.

“I think ritual and history are so important, and this has been going on for 40-plus years. It’s something that we talk about for weeks before Santa comes and we prepare the children for what’s going to happen,” Orth said. “At a time like this in our communities, I think having an event like this where the LAPD is here with families and showing goodwill and being part of the community in this kind of way is really important. It’s a really important message to families, especially recently, who are sometimes feeling really scared.”

Retired LAPD Officer Jack Rose, who dressed as Santa Claus for the event for more than 30 years, joined the families and BCC staff. Rose explained that his involvement started in 1970 when he volunteered to help his partner at the Rampart Division at the time, Officer Sergio A. Robleto, whose niece attended the Blind Children’s Center. The officers dropped gifts off, but Rose said he was surprised to see there was no Santa Claus. He volunteered to don the red suit the next year, starting a tradition that continues today. Rose stressed that it is especially meaningful for children with vision impairment to be able to touch Santa and feel his beard and red suit. Even after he transferred to other assignments, Rose appeared as Santa at the event every year until he retired in 2005.

“You start something out of your heart and you want it to keep going. And when you retire, you wonder if it is going to keep going, if the kids are going to be remembered,” Rose said. “I look at it right now and I realize how lucky we are. How lucky we are that we can help these kids.”

Rampart Division Detective Marc Rojas, who helped organize the holiday event, said officers look forward to meeting the families and children. The visit with Santa was held for the second consecutive year after returning from a hiatus due to the pandemic and building renovations at the center. Officers delivered gifts to the children as families took photographs with Santa. Rojas said the event fosters goodwill in the community.

“It’s become a tradition,” he added. “It’s a good way for us to just let the community know that we are here, shoulder to shoulder with them, not just as an enforcement tool, but as a community asset to help them and assist them.”

Founded in 1938 and located at 4120 Marathon St. in East Hollywood, the nonprofit Blind Children’s Center provides early childhood education programs for children ages 18 months to 5 years old, as well as Early Head Start services for infants and toddlers from birth through 36 months. The center has specific expertise in supporting very young children who are blind and visually impaired, and those with multiple disabilities. For information, visit blindchildrenscenter.org.