The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office sends around 250 Christmas cards each holiday to law enforcement agencies, businesses and community members. Past greetings have featured members of the sheriff’s staff including the canine cops. This year’s card features a penguin dressed as a police officer wearing a gold badge denoting service to the Grundy County Sheriff.
The card was designed by Coal City Intermediate School fifth grader Hailey Fisher, a student in Mr. Leve’s class.
Sheriff Ken Briley sent out a message in October seeking submissions for his department’s annual holiday greeting card. The contest was open to third to fifth grade students enrolled in a Grundy County school or homeschool. The rules were rather simple. The card needed to be in color, had a holiday theme and contained “no glitter.”
Over 100 entries were received and Haileys design was one of the top selections. The top designs were then posted in the sheriff’s office and the deputies and staff voted for the one they liked the best and it was Hailey’s penguin card that stood out to the sheriff’s staff.
Megan Wharrie, the sheriff’s administrative assistant, said it was the details in the design that set Hailey's card out from the rest.
In having her design selected in the first annual holiday greeting card contest won her entire class a pizza party. Sheriff Briley stopped by the classroom on Thursday, Dec. 21 to congratulate Hailey and meet with her class.