Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Green Oak Police Officer Andrew Evans will receive a community service award this evening for his annual holiday "Giving Tree."

Officer Evans speaks with local teachers and others to find out which child or family is most needing of gifts and other items during Christmas. He said he got the idea from his mother.

"People from the community. The fire department. Police department. Township employees. Everybody brings a gift in. We wrap them all up and then we deliver the whole Christmas in some police cars to the family around Christmas time," he says.

"Sometimes people are just down on their luck and they need a little hand. This is our opportunity to make their kids', their family's Christmas a little more special. It's really an honor and a privilege to help them do that."

Officer Evans organized two "Giving Trees" this past Christmas, a new tradition he plans to continue.

"It took a lot of organizing and a lot of leg work, but I was pretty happy with the results," he says.