Project Uplift partnership spreads Christmas cheer while preventing crime.

December 1, 2021

Pictured, left to right, Pentwater Police Chief Laude Hartrum, Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast, Ret. Pentwater Fire Chief Terry Cluchey, Pentwater Fire Department Cpt. Jonathan Hughart, Pastor Mark Lillie of Pentwater First Baptist Church, Pentwater Public Schools Superintendent/Principal Scott Karpatian, Oceana County County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Mike Fillips, and Pentwater Police Officer Amanda Payne.

Project Uplift partnership spreads Christmas cheer while preventing crime.

PENTWATER — The Pentwater Police Department is partnering with Amazon, along with the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office, the Pentwater Fire Department, Pentwater Public Schools and the First Baptist Church of Pentwater, to uplift the local community during the holiday season.

“Amazon reached out to the Pentwater Police Department in August to begin discussions on how they could partner with the department to improve their community relationships,” states a press release from the Pentwater Police Department. “Officer Amanda Payne took the lead and began discussions on how best to tailor their efforts in and around Pentwater and Oceana County. As a result, Project Uplift came to be. Officers will distribute items during police contacts throughout the month of December.”

Officer Payne and Amazon representatives selected from a list of over 150 items to provide things that could be used in crime prevention and benefit churches and food pantries, local fire departments and schools.”

“It was our hope that we could make this happen by December,” said Payne. “We really didn’t know what to expect.”

Pentwater Police Chief Laude Hartrum and Officer Payne traveled to Caledonia last Wednesday, Nov. 24, and picked up a pallet stacked with items.

“We picked up over 30 boxes weighing almost 500 pounds and brought them back to the office,” she said. The items were sorted and organized.

The gifts include: smoke detectors; Ring-brand doorbells that provide home security; snacks and other food items; water; computer tablets; watches; lights; cleaning supplies; phones; office supplies; and toys.

Distributing the Ring doorbells to those who need them will prevent some of the “seasonal mischief” that occurs around Christmas time, said Chief Hartrum.

“We are very excited and blessed to be able to partner with Amazon to bring this to our community,” he said.

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