RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. —

As many prepare for Thanksgiving, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office is getting ready for Christmas with its annual Toy Project in Rancho Cordova.

The Sheriff's Toy Project is a bustling hub of activity, filled with Christmas cheer. Volunteer deputies and sheriff's office staff get the toys ready in the sheriff's Santa workshop.

LeeAnnDra Marchese runs the program.

"I've been a law enforcement person a long time, and I've seen the really bad things that happen during the holiday season for a variety of reasons," she said. "If I can be a part of something to give back, to make a kid happy, I've done my job."

She said the elves are in the shop, hard at work, assembling hundreds of requests from applicants.

Thousands of toys, clothes, and blankets are prep

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