Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Three organizations in Dallas County donated coats to Payne Elementary School on Monday.

The Dallas County Sheriff Office, Northside Baptist Church and the ESA teamed up, donating coats and paper to Payne Elementary School.

Dallas County Sheriff Mike Granthun,  Kathy Smith of Northside Baptist Church and Patti Driggers of ESA made the donations.

As a smile covered the face of Payne Elementary Principal Tamera Carter, she said the donations were greatly appreciated.

“The donations help and they mean a lot,” Carter said. “Anything helps. If someone brought a box of crayon for a donation, we’ll take it. My heart goes out to these kids. The kids are important. Some of them are scholars. They deserve the best.”

Smith joked that Wal-Mart is probably out of coats, between the DCSO, ESA and Northside Baptist Church.

“I don’t think there’s a jacket left in Wal-Mart,” Smith joked.

Granthum said it’s always a joy for the DSCO giving back in Selma and Dallas County area.

“We want to help people in the community,” Granthum said. “We know that money is tight because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Maybe this will free up their parents to buy presents for Christmas.”

Smith shifted the credit to ESA, who spearheaded the project.

“We’re all happy to do this,” Smith said. “We’re blessed to do this. We’re here for a reason and that’s to help people and spread God’s love.”

Since Granthum succeeded Harris Huffman as Sheriff nearly three years ago, the DCSO have worked together with Northside Baptist and the ESA on charities during the year that include Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

“When I was elected Sheriff, I wanted to be involved with the community,” Granthum said. “We wanted to show kids there’s another side of the law. It’s our way of giving back.”