Several members of the Hall County Sheriff's Office have spent the first half of this week bringing unexpected Christmas cheer to citizens across the community.
Several deputies in marked patrol cars, along with members of Montgomery Memorial Baptist Church, are sitting outside various shopping areas in Hall County, waiting to spot someone that they feel could use some hope and encouragement this holiday season.
"This is really a festive take on your typical random act of kindness," Sheriff's Deputy Chad Mann said. "Members of the Sheriff's Office are, at their core, public servants, and this offers us a unique way to serve the community during what can be a stressful time of year."
Mann said they are surprising unsuspecting shoppers with gift cards. Funding for the gift cards was provided by Montgomery Memorial Baptist Church's congregation and various local businesses, including Chick-fil-A, The Collegiate Grill, El Sombrero and Johnny's Bar-b-que.
"On Monday, we drove by a woman who was standing outside of her car with the hood raised at the Shell gas station in Murrayville," Mann said. "We pulled over to provide her with some assistance with her car and gave her a $25 gift card. It brought her to tears!"
The 80 gift cards being handed out total approximately $2,000.
Hall County Sheriff's Office deputies began the initiative Monday and continued to hand out the gift cards at various locations on Tuesday.
"We are truly blessed to serve the citizens of Hall County," Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said. "Thanks to the random act of Christmas kindness provided by Montgomery Memorial Baptist Church and several of our local restaurants, we are honored to give back in a small way by spreading holiday cheer to the very people we protect each day."
