Riverhead PBA hands out food, presents to needy families

Sixteen less fortunate local families will get Christmas presents and dinners delivered to them, courtesy of the Riverhead Police Benevolent Association.

Each year, the organization receives names of families in need from local schools and churches. Off-duty officers and their families then buy presents and wrap them at the town’s municipal garage. They will be delivered Friday, along with a turkey dinner complete with fixings, according to PBA board member Ricky Anderson.

“All the kids get presents,” he said. “We go shopping and get age-appropriate gifts for them.”

The Riverhead Walmart donated many of the presents to the drive this year, he added.

Photo caption: PBA members and their families prepared meals and gifts to deliver Friday. (Tim Gannon photo)