By Khalida Sarwari
A pair of San Jose police officers stopped by the HP Pavilion this afternoon to share safety tips with about a dozen young trick-or-treaters in preparation for Halloween.
From Sgt. Christina Anaya and Officer Alex Ortiz, the children learned tips like: make sure to carry a flashlight, walk with an adult, and don’t eat candy that has already been opened — even if it comes from someone you know.
Victor Cruz, a 4-year-old from San Jose, said he learned two important tips from the “Safety First” presentation.
“When you need to cross the street, go with your mom or dad. And don’t go into dangerous houses,” Victor said.
Following the presentation, the children were treated to not only bags of candy, but also a sampling of “Disney On Ice: Treasure Trove,” and then a meet-and-greet with Disney characters, including Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
While Halloween is still a good week-and-a-half away, the kids did not wait to don their costumes, especially the girls who were dressed as popular Disney princesses Snow White and Cinderella.
Catholic Charities Of Santa Clara County, an organization that assists low-income families, organized the event for children who come from families that are impacted in one way or another by the criminal justice system, said program manager Doris Garcia.
Garcia said her program specifically targets young children in Santa Clara County who have either a caregiver or relative that has been incarcerated or has had to deal with substance abuse or domestic violence.
“A lot of these families would never get to do what they did today — meet Mickey and Minnie and to even get an excerpt of that show,” she said. “That would be a very rare opportunity.”
