Stuart Police Department Community Programs received a very special gift Wednesday.

Sergeant Katie Guisinger led their monthly Books and Badges program, reading a book for nearly 100 children that were in attendance. Once she had finished reading and giving out some books to the kids, Rose Acre Farms Stuart Site Manager Andy Kaldenberg presented a check to Guisinger and SPDCP on behalf of the company, in the amount of $30,000. Guisinger told Raccoon Valley Radio how the donation will help with future events.

“That is going to allow our programs to continue at the rate we’re at, but now it’s also, ‘Where can we grow? What can we do more of? What else is there in the community that there’s maybe a gap in? Maybe we can help now.’ So, you know, our Stuart Police Department Community Programs is a nonprofit, and we always pretty much rely on grants, fundraisers, and donations. So a donation like this is just going to really allow our programs to continue for the immediate future, and then some.”

Guisinger also shared what it meant to her to be receiving the donation.

“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders for a while. We’re never gonna stop making sure we still do those things we do every year, even if it’s fundraising or getting the community involved and helping with those things. There’s just a little bit of, ‘I know for the immediate future, we’re gonna have funds to make sure we can cover those things.’ So this is a huge deal to all of us of, ‘What can we do with this money for our community.’”

SPDCP does several programs throughout the year, including providing an assortment of refreshments to runners at the annual Good Egg Days 5k, the Summer Youth Programs, Shop with a Cop and much more throughout the year. Guisinger mentions that their next event that is coming up is National Night Out, which will be August 5th this year, and is a free event for the community.