Lt. Oscar Kemp entertained children and adults alike when he took a cupcake to the face as part of the festivities.

The holidays will be a little brighter for two local families, thanks to Tau Kappa Epsilon and University Police. Individuals in the fraternity and police department teamed up and adopted two families, providing a holiday feast, gifts and household items on Dec. 9 at the TKE house.

Lt. Oscar Kemp with the University Police worked with Jarena Fleischman, a counselor at Rolla Middle School, to identify families who could use a helping hand. They created a list of items the families needed and some gifts the kids would like.

The TKE members and police department staff chipped in to provide toys, clothes, bedding and even a bed for an individual in need.

“Though this project took a lot of hard work, it was worth it to see the smiles on the kids’ faces,” says Aaron Tucker, TKE member.

Another TKE member, Michael Taylor, will graduate soon but says he plans to continue to participate in future Adopt-a-Family projects.