NORTH SMITHFIELD – They spent a month free from the usual vanities in an effort that was used to help local families in need over the holidays.
Members of the North Smithfield Police Department raised $250 through No Shave/Nail Polish November, sporting scruffy faces and bare nails for 30 days during the fun, charitable effort.
Law enforcement paid for the right to take a break from the hygiene routine, with each participating member of the department making a donation to a charity that, at the time, remained to be determined.
According to Lt. Mark Bergeron, pretty much everyone in the department participated in the annual holiday program this year, or at least donated to the effort.
“It’s used for local charities so I don’t mind donating,” Bergeron said, adding with a laugh, “Really, I didn’t feel like shaving for the month.”
And this month, officers identified two local families in need were identified, and delivered help on Wednesday, Dec. 22, arriving with $250 in gift cards to local shopping establishments.
Anyone who knows of a North Smithfield family in need this season is asked to contact Patrolman Emmanuel Avila at [email protected] or by calling (401) 762-1212 ext. 224 and leaving a voicemail.