MTSU’s Little Raiders 2025 campaign brightens holiday season for local families

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University campus community again stepped forward this year to make the annual Little Raiders Gift-Giving Campaign a True Blue success.

MTSU Police Sgt. Vergena Forbes, who coordinates the annual effort, said the campaign was able to brighten the Christmas holiday season for 27 children from local families in need, along with some children who are victims of domestic violence.

Richard Kershaw, director, Student Programming — Richard Kershaw

Sponsors of this year’s campaign included the University Police Department in partnership with Campus Recreation, Student Health Services, Campus Housing, MTSU Athletics, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 54, and the Nutrition and Dietetics Association, a student organization.

In what has become a campus holiday tradition, Little Raiders provides members of the campus community the opportunity to become “Secret Santas” by claiming one of the ornaments placed on designated Christmas trees around campus. The ornaments include the age, gender, clothing size, and wish list of a child in need. Gifts are dropped off at the MTSU Police Department to be organized and distributed during a special party leading up to Christmas.

This collection of toys inside Middle Tennessee State University’s Police Department was recently distributed to area families supported by this year’s MTSU Little Raiders Gift-Giving Campaign. Secret Santas from throughout campus stepped up to brighten the holiday for area children in need. (Submitted photo)

Forbes gave special thanks to the real-life Santa, also known as Student Programming and Raider Entertainment Director Rich Kershaw, “who, as usual, was well-received and adored by the children at the recent gift-giving party.” Forbes also noted that the Publix on South Rutherford donated a holiday cake, while Domino’s donated over a dozen pizzas for the party.

Forbes also gave special thanks to the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 54, which donated $1,250 to the campaign, as well as a local military veterans group from the VA that adopted two Little Raiders this year.

“MTSU Patrol assisted with the setup, breakdown, and distribution of the donated gifts at the event, while various MTSU Police Department employees donated time, finances and effort to assist,” Forbes noted. “As always, this is truly a team effort, and I’m so thankful to all the Secret Santas and university partners who made this year’s event a success.”

Photographer James Cessna of MTSU Creative and Visual Services volunteered to capture pictures of Santa with the families who requested them, printing out the images on site as a keepsake.