Saxonburg compels residents to ‘Stuff the Cruiser’ for charity
SAXONBURG — Every holiday season, police in Butler County work to make sure more children can celebrate Christmas with a toy under their tree.
On the morning of Black Friday, Nov. 24, two police vehicles from the Saxonburg Police Department pulled up to Saxonburg Coffee & Tea on Main Street for the “Stuff the Cruiser” charity event, where residents trickled in to donate their unneeded and unwrapped toys and gadgets.
All donations from the event will benefit the Christmas toy drive held by Butler’s Lighthouse Foundation, a Christian outreach organization which aims to help children and families in need of aid.
Leading up to Friday morning’s event, local businesses Du-Co Ceramics and To the Limit Motorsportz put out boxes for their employees to donate toys. By Friday, there were already enough toys donated to fill two massive boxes, and the event hadn’t even started yet.
“No donation is too small,” said Melinda Berzonski of Saxonburg Coffee & Tea. “Books, toys, items of clothing … everything would be appreciated.”
According to Saxonburg Police Department’s Chief Joe Beachem, at least one person couldn’t wait to make their donation.
“A local individual brought three carloads into the station the other night,” Beachem said. “We’re real happy with how the community responds every year when we do this.”
Among those who stopped by to drop something off on Friday morning were Cheryl Arnold and Mark Kozma, who donated a toddler-sized bicycle.
“We love coming into town, coming to the coffee shop, and participating in the holiday events in town,” Arnold said.
The Stuff the Cruiser event will continue for another day at the South Butler Community Library, across the street from the coffee shop, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25.
The Middlesex Police Department is hosting its own version of the event at Glade Run Church on Pittsburgh Road in Valencia, also from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
