A detective with Plant City Police Department partnered with a variety of local organizations to ensure children in the Panhandle were able to have a Christmas following the devastation of Hurricane Michael.
Michael Bard, PCPD detective and Coast Guard captain, went to the Panhandle following Michael’s
destructive path with the Tampa Strong group. For 10 days he provided aid to the community and when it was through his life was forever changed.
“I’ve been through a lot of hurricanes and that was literally the most humbling experience,” Bard said. “The damage, the destruction, I’ve not seen anything like it. We got sent back early and I wanted to do something to help. Eventually, I came up with the toy drive.”
Bard’s Reel Insane Fishing and Outfitters company connected him to much of the local fishing industry and, between those partnerships and his fellow officers at PCPD, he was convinced he’d be able to collect enough toys to make “some sort of impact” in the lives near the gulf.
He took a long shot and set his goal at 1,000 toys, which would all need to be gathered in the span of three weeks. Little did he know the community would be rallying behind him in force.
Thanks to the assistance of businesses like Davis Custom Trailers, Quality Septic, Sonny’s BBQ in Lakeland, Sunbelt Rentals, Power Source Marine, Universal Tire and Auto, CertiPay in Winter Haven and Ron Jon’s Property Management, Bard was able to have well over the 1,000-toy goal collected in a short period of time.
The box outside his office at PCPD was filled to capacity and soon the challenge came to have the items all fit in the truck and trailer for the long trip north. The toys were taken to the Panama City Beach Police
Department who told Bard they would use them for a Santa Run planned close to Christmas. The toys will be distributed to families in need throughout the area to ensure local children don’t miss out on a Christmas because of the storm.
After working hands-on in the community following Hurricane Michael, Bard was determined to help in any way he could. He batted around doing a food drive or maybe collecting clothes for those in need. Then his family was faced with unexpected news.
Bard has a seven-year-old daughter and his wife was five months pregnant with their second child when they suddenly lost the baby. It was a loss Bard said he will carry with him, but he knew then what he wanted to do. He would bring Christmas to the many children having to essentially start over.
“Typically when you see things like that, destruction on that level, you see the worst in people and the best in people,” Bard said. “A pack of water or a bag of chips means the world to them. People are so appreciative of the help they got. It’s our job to help in whatever way we can. I can’t imagine those kids this Christmas. I know many of them are believing they aren’t going to have one. Hopefully, this will help change that.”
He joked his house looked like “Toys R Us” had given up in his yard. Everything from bicycles to new Disney action figures were overflowing into his lawn. Matthew Davis, a fishing buddy that has known Bard for years, partnered with him in the endeavor and agreed to take the trip north with him.
“I’m just along for the ride,” Davis said. “Some people really came through with some ridiculous stuff. Some
of these are $100 toys, some are $30, they’re all top-quality stuff. There are a lot of kids that are going to have a great Christmas this year.”
The men left Plant City around 3 a.m. Monday morning and caught the awaiting officers by surprise when they began unloading the massive quantities of gifts. Once everything was dropped off they turned around and began the journey home knowing hundreds of children’s Christmases were saved thanks to the generosity of the community and the determination of one caring officer.