'Keeping his dream alive' - Pittsburgh Union Progress

Officer Will Coffee of the Wilkinsburg Police Department picks up a bike for one of his “kids” during the Western Pennsylvania Police Athletic League annual toy distribution at the Monroeville Mall Stuff A Store, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Toys are collected throughout the year by local police departments for distribution to kids and families. (Pam Panchak/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Jimmy Cvetic died in 2019, but his legacy remains. You could see it on display Sunday morning during the Western Pennsylvania Police Athletic League Toy Drive’s annual toy distribution at the Monroeville Mall Stuff A Store.

Cvetic worked for years as an Allegheny County Police detective, as well as a boxing coach and promoter. He started the toy drive more than 40 years ago. Police departments collected toys throughout the year, and on Sunday representatives from those departments picked up the toys so they could be presented to families and children in their communities.

“I am so thankful to his wife, Gloria, keeping his dream alive,” said Maurita Bryant, a retired assistant chief with Pittsburgh police and co-chair of the toy drive. “It’s going strong. COVID set us back a bit … but it’s back. Jimmy would be proud.”

Joe Risher, community relations officer with the Allegheny County Police, collects toys from the back room. (Pam Panchak/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Liz Hulsizer, left, of Girl Scout Troop 52394 from Verona and Penn Hills, helps troop member Mila Speer, 9, wrap toys. (Pam Panchak/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Larry Storch, a Steel Valley School District resource officer at Barrett Elementary in Homestead, hauls toys for his “kids.” (Pam Panchak/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Joe Risher, left, Allegheny County Police community relations officer, and Maurita Bryant, retired assistant Pittsburgh police chief and co-chair of the toy drive, stand near a portrait of Jimmy Cvetic, founder of the drive. (Pam Panchak/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Pam Panchak

Pam Panchak is a photographer at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, but she's currently on strike