Christmas will be a bit brighter for Hempstead County children this year thanks to a donation from Union Pacific Railroad.
The railroad recently awarded $500 to the Hempstead County Sheriff's Office for the Operation Christmas program.
Special Agent Darin Archer of the railroad's Texarkana field office presented the check to Sheriff James Singleton.
The money will help support Shop with a Deputy. The event will give about 60 county children, whose names were submitted by churches and county residents, the opportunity to participate in a shopping spree Dec. 16 at Walmart.
The shopping day will start at 8 a.m. with a motorcade of law enforcement and emergency vehicles that will escort Santa from Hempstead County Law Enforcement Center to Walmart to meet the children. Walmart employees and volunteers will serve hot chocolate and cookies.
After a short devotional by the Rev. Jesse Henry, the children will be paired with deputies, officers and first responders to go shopping. Each child will have $125 to spend.
After shopping, the children will meet with volunteers to wrap their purchases.