By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — This year’s Christmas party for underprivileged children in Carthage will be the last for Detective Laverne Williams as an official member of the Carthage Police Department.

But Williams, who will retire Dec. 31, plans to stay involved with the event, which he is sure will continue to be a Carthage tradition.

Others credit the long-time department veteran with starting the party which, over the past 31 years, has made sure that thousands of disadvantaged local children received something for Christmas.

Williams, however, says the party was just getting started in 1973, when he began working as a reserve officer. He said Capt. Jim England founded the program, and that he got involved in 1977 when he joined as a full-time officer.

“I got involved with it then and just kept working with it. After a couple of years, I got really involved, then I just stayed on to oversee it,” he said.

Though Williams says many help with the party, no one is more associated with the festivities that started with a few dozen children and has grown every year since.

About 800 kids are expected to gather at 10 a.m. Saturday at Carthage Memorial Hall. Each will get refreshments, a bag of candy and a $10 gift card, and will have a chance to win one of 120 larger toys that will be given as door prizes.

Humble start

Williams said that in the early years volunteers fixed up used bicycles and fishing equipment. Later, each child received a new toy bought by Williams, his wife Karen, and other volunteers.

“Shopping was a huge job then,” said Karen. “We’d buy before Christmas, and we’d also buy at after-Christmas sales and store toys until the next year.”

In addition to police officers, spouses and other volunteers, help for the party each year comes from the Carthage Junior High School student council, whose members set up Memorial Hall and sack candy the day before, then help with the party the day of the event.

“They’re just a blessing; we couldn’t do it without them. They also raise money for it,” Williams said.

The detective has been on medical leave in recent months due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, so much of the work on this year’s party has been done by Officer Chris Vandegevel; Amy Young, a municipal court clerk; and Wilma Aleshire, department evidence officer.