KING CITY — Christmas came early this month at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds in King City, with the arrival of a very special guest — Santa Claus.
As part of the annual Operation Santa event organized by Monterey County Supervisor Chris Lopez and local water utility California Water Service, with support from other community organizations, Santa traded his reindeer for a helicopter and touched down with a bag of toys for 1,500 children and meals for more than 500 families in South Monterey County.
These families, many of whom serve as farmworkers or laborers feeding the nation, were pre-selected by local school districts based on financial need.
“We thank Santa Claus, for once again, prioritizing the children of South Monterey County. With families from Lockwood to Soledad participating this year, the magic we can make together is growing,” Lopez said. “With over 100 elves from the community joining our partners, it shows that this is a community where we look out for one another. I hope these are memories that will last generations.”
The Dec. 18 event, in its fifth year, gave a chance for families to enjoy food and music as they awaited Santa’s arrival. Once on ground from the helicopter provided by Fort Hunter Liggett, Santa listened to little ones’ requests and took photos before waving farewell to families that were leaving with pozole boxes and gifts in tow.
“It was an honor to be a part of bringing joy to the community through Operation Santa,” said Steve Vasquez, operations manager of California Water Service’s King City District. “We are absolutely honored to be able to help serve our community and witness the joy of the season. At Cal Water, we aren’t just a water company, we are part of our communities, and we recognize the importance of caring for the people in the communities we serve.”
Operation Santa was brought to residents by Lopez and Cal Water, and supported by Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, Fort Hunter Liggett, Food Bank for Monterey County, City of King, King City Police Department, Chevron, Greenfield Police Department, Waste Management, Salinas Valley Fair, Clinica de Salud del Valle de Salinas and County Employees Management Association.
Other supporters included King City Mayor Mike LeBarre, King City Fire Department, CalStar Medical, Dutch Bros of King City, First 5 Monterey County and Toys for Tots, in addition to more than 100 volunteers this year.
“At the heart of Operation Santa are the people who make it happen,” Lopez said. “I am deeply thankful to my staff, Priscilla, Monica and Karina, for their leadership and preparation, and to the King City Rotary Club, King City Blue Ribbon 4 H, King City Silver Kings and Queens, the King City High School Interact Club, and all of the community volunteers who showed up to help us make this magic possible.”
Lopez and his District 3 staff distributed the event’s remaining toys to children in Chualar and Gonzales on Dec. 23.
“Operation Santa is more than a holiday event,” he added. “It reflects who we are as a community and what we can accomplish when we choose to take care of one another.”
