Another Christmas book for children, featuring local kids as main characters, has launched for charity. A fundraising campaign, Operation Blue Light Santa, was founded by Longford garda, Emma Kiernan, in 2021. Two books were launched as part of the fundraising activities in 2021 and 2022: Operation Blue Santa and Operation Blue Nose Reindeer. READ MORE BELOW PHOTO The third book in the series, Operation Blue Light Heroes, was launched amid a flurry of excitement on Saturday, December 2, in Ballymahon. So far, Operation Blue Light Santa has raised €22,300 for charity. Proceeds of 2023 go to Little Blue Heroes Foundation and St Christopher’s Services. Local journalist Jessica Thompson has written all three books, with Garda Kiernan approaching her two years ago to see if she would be interested in writing the children’s books. “I asked Jessica if she would like to write Christmas stories for little children, to coincide with the initiative,” said Garda Kiernan. “Putting her own spin on it and making it unique was important to us, and a book that would teach children the importance of being nice to one another, especially at Christmas time.” In this year’s story, there is panic at the North Pole on Christmas Eve as the reindeer all come down with the flu. Unable to fly the sleigh, Santa has to come up with a plan to save Christmas. Local artist Nicole Foster illustrated the books in 2021 and 2022, while Pat Taaffe illustrated this year’s book. The story features six garda dogs and seven honorary Gardaí from the Little Blue Heroes, Maddie Baxter, Kalvin O’Meara, Zoe Cryan, Rian Sutton, Tobias Godla and the late Max Wenman (RIP) and Luke McCormack (RIP). The book was funded and supported by Longford Public Participation Network and the Longford Community Safety Partnership, and is part of the wider Operation Blue Light Santa fundraising campaign. This year’s Operation Blue Santa book, Operation Blue Light Heroes, will be on-sale at Newsround Longford, Jenny's gift shop Ballymahon,
PICTURES | Operation Blue Light Heroes launched in Ballymahon
Caption: At Jolly Boys Christmas Market in Ballymahon for the launch of the 2023 Operation Blue Light Santa campaign book entitled Operation Blue Light Heroes were Mr Claus with Shmall Gyórgy Ferenc Picture: Shelley Corcoran
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Caption: Mr Claus with Catriona and Alex Dunne and Scotty & Candy Picture: Shelley Corcoran
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Caption: Mr and Mrs Claus with Carmel Finn Picture: Shelley Corcoran
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Caption: Edel Kelly, Ruby Kelly, Siobhan Cronogue (County Longford PPN Coordinator) and Jessica Thompson (author) were in Jolly Boys Christmas Market in Ballymahon for the launch of the 2023 Operation Blue Light Santa fundraising campaign book, Operation Blue Light Heroes. The book was funded and supported by Longford Public Participation Network and the Longford Community Safety Partnership. All proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Little Blue Heroes Foundation and St Christopher’s Services. Picture: Shelley Corcoran
