As the festive season approaches, the Murray Rotary Club is gearing up for its annual holiday initiative, Operation Santa, and this year brings a fresh approach to supporting children in need throughout the city. The longtime tradition is being fine-tuned in response to rising costs and growing community demand.

According to Ryan Herath, one of the lead volunteers, this year’s focus centers on a clearer link between donors and beneficiaries. “This year, an individual pair of boots costs $30,” he explained. Rather than asking for broad financial contributions, the club is inviting sponsors to specifically “buy some boots.” As Herath put it, “Instead of sending an indiscriminate amount of funding, you are tied to how many kids’ boots you want to buy.”

Murray Police Chief Craig Burnett and Fire Chief Joey Mittelman help their crews pick out toys for kids. (Photo courtesy of Murray City Police)

 The Murray Rotary Club has long served as a civic partner, and its role in Operation Santa has evolved over time. Herath described how the club coordinates with the Murray School District, local businesses and civic groups to identify children and families who can participate. “Rotary is dedicated to helping communities at their request. We generally do not create projects; we ask the community what they need,” he said.

He noted the club’s nearly 20-year tradition of donating dictionaries to all third graders in Murray, before redirecting that effort when the district indicated teachers would prefer a different resource. “It’s the same relationship to identify which children and families can participate in Operation Santa,” he said. “Rotary is a group of civic-minded people who want to help the community, but not all of us can do it full-time.”

The highlight of Operation Santa, Herath said, comes when students arrive and interact with first responders. He recalled a conversation with Murray Fire Chief Joey Mittelman, who said most of his department’s interactions with the public are high-stress and high-stakes. “The opportunity for the kids to meet first responders in a more personal and less intimidating way is great for both groups,” Herath said, adding with a smile, “Amusingly, all the single moms request a firefighter.”

While preserving the program’s cherished traditions — boot giving, shopping for families and the parade-style escort down State Street — the club is adjusting to economic pressures. “Operation Santa has grown every year. Costs due to inflation and increased participation continue to climb,” Herath said. “We do need additional monetary support to continue expanding the program, but the core program hasn’t changed much.”

Behind the scenes of the festive spectacle lie complex logistics. Students are bused from schools to the Murray School District headquarters to link up with police and fire escorts. “The specialized bus routes need to coordinate this early on a Saturday morning is complex,” Herath said. The club also gathers details like each child’s age, sex and shoe size. He recalled one instance when a third grader needed size 13 men’s boots, prompting a Rotarian to rush to a nearby sporting goods store to buy the right pair.

Santa listens to a youngster at Murray Rotary’s Operation Santa event. (Photo courtesy of Murray School District)

Herath said the event embodies Murray’s small-town spirit. “Murray Rotary Utah’s motto is ‘Fun with Purpose!’ Operation Santa embodies this perfectly.” He described how the event brings together the school district, city council, first responders and more than 40 volunteers. “Every year, we stand at the doors ready, wondering if anyone will show up. It’s amazing when we start hearing the sirens and seeing the lights. Then the kids start streaming off the buses a little sleepy but smiling. It’s completely chaotic, like a large family reunion.”

Looking ahead, Herath hopes to expand the program. “We would love to extend the opportunity to more families and find more corporate sponsors, ideally Murray-based businesses that want to reinvest in the community,” he said.

As Operation Santa gears up for another season of boots, shopping carts and flashing sirens, the Murray Rotary Club remains committed to bringing the city’s holiday spirit to children who might otherwise be left out — anchoring tradition with community collaboration.