Officers play Easter bunny to spread joy to children
Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino delivers a few of the 500 Easter baskets he and fellow law officers across the valley distributed to youths. From left, Heino, Jaxon Olsen, Bradley Hiebert, Logan Baltramais, Astryd Roberts, Everett Phillips and Jewel Hiebert. (Scott Shindledecker/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino delivers a few of the 500 Easter baskets he and fellow law officers across the valley distributed to youths. From left, Heino, Jaxon Olsen, Bradley Hiebert, Logan Baltramais, Astryd Roberts, Everett Phillips and Jewel Hiebert. (Scott Shindledecker/Daily Inter Lake)
Jacob Harper, left, and Elliott Rush, celebrate Good Friday as Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino delivers Easter baskets. Heino had the idea and law enforcement officers and others in the valley came together to donate baskets, candy and toys for 500 youth. (Scott Shindledecker/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino gets a hug from Elliott Rush after he delivered Easter baskets to Rush and Jacob Harper Friday. (Scott Shindledecker/Daily Inter Lake)
A late-night idea turned into hundreds of Flathead Valley children getting Easter baskets this weekend from area law enforcement officers.
Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said he had the thought of trying to get Easter goodies to families in need across the valley.
Soon after the idea became reality.
“When we put the idea out there, everyone jumped in,” Heino, a father of three, said. “The COVID-19 virus has disrupted so many facets of peoples’ lives. Kids haven’t been in school, church services aren’t being held, we just thought it’d be something nice to do.”
On Good Friday, law officers from across the Flathead distributed 500 baskets to families in need.
“We didn’t have a lot of time to put it together, but everyone jumped in and got things done,” Heino said.
Donors and those whom helped distribute the baskets included the Flathead County Sheriff’s Association, the Sheriff’s Employees Association, Sheriff’s Posse, Flathead Valley and North Valley Search and Rescue teams, Kalispell Police Officers Association, Columbia Falls Police Officers Association, two private donors, Kalispell Regional Medical Center and Hammer Nutrition.
Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.
