PHOTO #1: Victoria Police Department Chief Robert Arredondo poses for a photo Dec. 11 with Mason Lara, a second-grader at Nazareth Academy, in Arredondo’s office. Mason is the winner of VPD’s Christmas card design contest, and his drawing is featured on the card VPD mailed to its community partners and other law enforcement agencies.
PHOTO #2: Mason Lara, a second-grader at Nazareth Academy, points to a badge in Chief Robert Arredondo’s collection Dec. 11 during his visit to Arredondo’s office.
PHOTO #3: The Victoria Police Department’s annual Christmas card features a colorful design by Mason Lara, a second-grader at Nazareth Academy.
A colorful drawing by a Victoria second-grader was featured on a Christmas card that the Victoria Police Department sent to its community partners and fellow law enforcement agencies.
For the first time this year, the Victoria Police Department invited members of the community to contribute artwork to be featured on the department’s Christmas card. The invitation was posted on the department’s social media channels and sent to local schools.
The winning artwork was created by Mason Lara, a second-grader at Nazareth Academy in Victoria. Mason’s drawing features several brightly colored characters, including Santa Claus and Rudolph as well as a rainbow-breathing Godzilla and characters from the Mario video games.
“The charm of it really touched my heart,” Arredondo said. “I like that it has Christmas elements but he also incorporated some of himself into it.”
Mason was invited to tour the Victoria Police Department, where Arredondo thanked him for his drawing. Mason was given a card featuring his design along with a goody bag of gifts from VPD.
“It was so fun to have him visit,” Arredondo said. “He’s a super kid—very energetic and intelligent—and he brought a smile to everyone’s faces.”
Victoria Police Department Capt. Eline Moya estimated that the department received 20-30 artwork submissions from local schoolchildren and members of the public. The Victoria Police Department thanks all of the community members who participated in the contest.
“We’re thankful for the support of our citizens throughout the year,” Moya said. “Because of the pandemic, this seemed like a good time to give everyone a chance to share in our message of joy and cheer.”
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