Holidays With the Hidden Heroes

Thursday, December 21, many people in southeast Minnesota were wondering exactly what was going on as caravans of emergency vehicles with lights blazing went through the small towns of Hokah, Brownsville, La Crescent, Dakota, Nodine, Wilson, Money Creek, Rushford, Newburg, Mabel, Spring Grove, Eitzen, Caledonia, and Houston. In La Crescent, 18 or 19 vehicles came around the corner in just a little over a minute. At one stop, a total of 35 people jumped out of the vehicles.
What exactly WAS going on? Was there a crime spree of some sort? Absolutely not! It was the Bluff Country Hidden Heroes helping Santa deliver toys and gifts to a total of 22 kids at 18 different homes throughout Winona, Fillmore and Houston Counties. Logan Brand, Nick Smith and Chris Frick reflected on the details of the Holidays with the Hidden Heroes the day afterwards.
Frick, a Houston County Sheriff’s Investigator, originally started the group as Houston County Area Law Enforcement. In 2016, they held a golf tournament to sponsor scholarships in the spring for students planning to go into public service. They also began a Shop with a Cop program in the area, taking kids shopping and out to lunch at Christmas time. When COVID hit, they needed to change their program.
Now, schools are contacted and asked to randomly select two children from grades K-4; they give the names to the officers who contact the parents to make sure they are okay being involved. This year the following schools were contacted: Caledonia, St. Peter, La Crescent, St. John’s at Nodine, Ridgeway (Minnesota), Rushford-Peterson, Mabel-Canton, Spring Grove and Houston.
Once the parents give the go ahead, an officer visits their homes to meet with the kids. The officer tells the kids he’s helping Santa by getting wish lists from kids. The kids are asked to make a list using the Walmart app; the officer returns in a few days to pick up the list and deliver it to Santa.
According to Frick, the completed lists are given to various officers with the instructions to get the list to Santa however they can. The officers have some wild stories they share with the kids when they deliver the gifts, such as flying in their personal planes, taking a snowmobile to the North Pole, etc.
Rumor has it that Nick Smith, Mike Ernster, Calvin Nagle, Mike Rasmussen and Chris Frick were sighted before Christmas, shopping for hours as they helped Santa with his lists.
The Bluff Country Hidden Heroes met at 1:30 on December 21, to help organize Santa’s gifts and get their caravan ready. By 9 p.m. they had helped Santa make his rounds to deliver all the gifts.
Families met them in their front yards; kids were thrilled to see all the fire trucks, police and sheriff’s cars drive up to their homes. When Santa popped out of one of the lead cars and joined the local officers with the families, the kids were over the top. One little boy just kept jumping straight up and down all the while the caravan approached; a little girl was so overwhelmed, she started crying. These reactions are “just icing on the cake” for them, according to the Hidden Heroes.
As Santa gave the gifts to the kids, he informed them they could choose one to open now, and then would need to save the rest for Christmas. Unsurprisingly, almost everyone chose the biggest one to open!
This year the following fire departments helped deliver: Rushford, Brownsville, Mabel, Eitzen, Caledonia, Houston, Hokah, Nodine and Wilson. Ambulance squads that helped were: Rushford, Mabel, Houston and Wilson. Law Enforcement that participated included: Minnesota DNR, Minnesota State Patrol, Fillmore, Winona and Houston County Sheriff’s Departments; and La Crescent/Hokah, Caledonia and Houston Police Departments.
Each department sent only two representatives and used non-essential vehicles. As the caravan moved through the area, some vehicles and departments joined and dropped off depending on their jurisdiction. As deliveries were made in their town, the local officers and responders were able to interact with the kids from their own town.
Some families had treats for the officers; at the end of the night, the Houston Fire Department supplied a meal for all the officers. The officers and first responders totally enjoyed the camaraderie of the event; the happy event was a pleasant switch from their usual calls! According to Frick, everyone wants to help! Anyone can join the group by connecting Bluff Country Hidden Heroes on FaceBook or by emailing bluffcountryhiddenheroes@gmail.com.
The Bluff Country Hidden Heroes now has a board of 8-10 members; they are officially a 5013c non-profit. Businesses are able to donate and take a tax write-off. Supporters can contact the group at their local departments or drop off donations at Rushford City Hall with Julie Frick, Chris’s wife. The Facebook page will soon add a link for donations. One hundred percent of the money donated is split evenly and spent in the local SE Minnesota area.
This year Bluff Country Hidden Heroes raised just short of $5,000 and spent it all on the kids. They also still raise between $3,000 and 4,000 for scholarships.
Next year, the group hopes to extend to all the towns and schools in the tri-county area. In order to be able to deliver all the gifts in one day, they are considering breaking up into county teams. Smith, Brand and Frick all said they got into it to give back. They certainly have given back to the area communities and invite you to join them in next year’s efforts!