Santa Cop has been bringing toys to Grand Prairie's neediest boys and girls since 1984. Santa Spot has been doing the same with food for not quite as long.

The two charitable nonprofit groups, run by the Grand Prairie Police and Fire Departments, kicked off their official campaigns Sunday.

Police Officer Mark Calvert has been part of the effort since 1987.

"We always get more requests than we can fill. There's always a need," Calvert said. "We get 90 to 95 percent of our requests from the school district. We know they're deserving if they qualify through the school district."

He said there always are a few requests from other police officers, firefighters and city officials. Calvert said they always check to ensure only the neediest people are receiving help.

"We cap it at around 400 families. That's how many we can do each holiday season," he said. "We normally go over by about 30 families. And we always leave room for emergencies. Sometimes we have families who we provide toys and food to who have had fires or floods or some kind of disaster."

Of course, Calvert said donations and volunteers are always welcome. And the two holiday charities have had all kinds of organizations volunteer.

"We've had Scouts, athletic teams, the chamber's Great Texas Scholars, all kinds of groups have volunteered," he said.

He said donations come in all sorts of packages, too. He said one year, many people gave turkey bucks from a local grocery store.

Donors should bring new, unwrapped toys and nonperishable foods to the Police Department, any fire station or City Hall. Call 972-201-4149 to arrange pickup for larger items.

Grand Prairie is sponsoring a pet vaccination clinic for dogs, cats and ferrets at 9 a.m. Saturday at Prairie Paws Adoption Center, 2222 W. Warrior Trail.

The event is free for Grand Prairie residents, who must provide a driver's license or current water bill. The limit is five animals per household. The line will close at 1,000 animals or 3 p.m.

Dogs must be on leash. Cats and ferrets must be in carriers with ID tags. No retractable leashes are allowed. Call 972-237-8575 for more information.

The annual Veterans Day Ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Veterans Memorial, 925 Conover Drive. Call 972-237-8100 for more information.

E-mail Herb Booth at herbviv@sbcglobal.net for tips and items to include in this column.