130 Kids Take Part In Annual Christmas With A Cop Event
December 22, 2017 at 5:37 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 149 has sponsored Christmas With A Cop for more years than FOP President and Warsaw Police Department Lt. Paul Heaton can remember.
“Every year it gets bigger and bigger. This year is the largest yet with 130 kids,” he said before the event started at Meijer.
He also estimated over 75 officers took part, representing all agencies in the area – Claypool, Silver Lake, Winona Lake, Mentone, Bourbon and Warsaw police departments, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police, to name a few. There also were representatives of Community Corrections and Parole on board.
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“It’s neat to see all the agencies come together,” Heaton said. “Our fundraisers through the year lead to this. It’s our main goal to take care of this each year, and each year our fundraisers get bigger. The community helps us meet the need.”
He thanked the community for all of its support this year to help make the lodge’s Christmas With A Cop happen.
“It’s great to give back,”?he said.
An officer and his family or two officers went Christmas shopping with each family, with kids coming in waves over the two- to three-hour period. A specific amount of money was set aside for each child, with the officer keeping tabs on the total. Children didn’t just get toys – some got hats, gloves, coats, underwear or even shoes. But toys were on the list, with boys seeming to focus on remote-controlled vehicles.
The children doing the shopping were from families who need assistance. The FOP reaches out to each school in the county to find out who those families are. The focus is on elementary-age kids, Heaton said. This year, the lodge also had some special guests it reached out to for Christmas – families who lost their homes or children dealing with special circumstances.
Owen’s west donated goodie bags for each kid, and the Warsaw Citizens Police Academy helped organize the event. Heaton said Meijer helped out a great deal.
Cookies and punch were laid out on a table for participants to enjoy after shopping.
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Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 149 has sponsored Christmas With A Cop for more years than FOP President and Warsaw Police Department Lt. Paul Heaton can remember.
“Every year it gets bigger and bigger. This year is the largest yet with 130 kids,” he said before the event started at Meijer.
He also estimated over 75 officers took part, representing all agencies in the area – Claypool, Silver Lake, Winona Lake, Mentone, Bourbon and Warsaw police departments, the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police, to name a few. There also were representatives of Community Corrections and Parole on board.
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“It’s neat to see all the agencies come together,” Heaton said. “Our fundraisers through the year lead to this. It’s our main goal to take care of this each year, and each year our fundraisers get bigger. The community helps us meet the need.”
He thanked the community for all of its support this year to help make the lodge’s Christmas With A Cop happen.
“It’s great to give back,”?he said.
An officer and his family or two officers went Christmas shopping with each family, with kids coming in waves over the two- to three-hour period. A specific amount of money was set aside for each child, with the officer keeping tabs on the total. Children didn’t just get toys – some got hats, gloves, coats, underwear or even shoes. But toys were on the list, with boys seeming to focus on remote-controlled vehicles.
The children doing the shopping were from families who need assistance. The FOP reaches out to each school in the county to find out who those families are. The focus is on elementary-age kids, Heaton said. This year, the lodge also had some special guests it reached out to for Christmas – families who lost their homes or children dealing with special circumstances.
Owen’s west donated goodie bags for each kid, and the Warsaw Citizens Police Academy helped organize the event. Heaton said Meijer helped out a great deal.
Cookies and punch were laid out on a table for participants to enjoy after shopping.
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