Officers Brighten Christmas Season For Dozens Of Local Children
Officers Brighten Christmas Season For Dozens Of Local Children
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Officers Brighten Christmas Season For Dozens Of Local ChildrenAs waves of kids picked out new toys and clothing at Meijer Thursday night, their faces lit up with excitement.
Their smiles brought joy to the many police officers and sheriff’s deputies who were there shopping with them during the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 149’s Shop With A Cop.
Every police agency in the county participates in the annual event, says Lodge 149 Vice President and Warsaw Police Department detective Paul Heaton. Officers from the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department; Indiana State Police; and Warsaw, Claypool, Mentone, Milford and Winona Lake police departments were on hand when it started at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Heaton estimated that 50 to 60 officers would take part in the two- to three-hour event.
“We help the kids that need help, and we raise funds throughout the year to make this event happen, and every year it goes and every year it’s gotten larger,” Heaton said.
Generally, the kids are in elementary school. School resource officers contact the schools and counselors during the school year to determine which families might need some assistance with Christmas. Every school in Kosciusko County is contacted, and homeschooled children are included. The families fill out a form to participate.
Heaton estimated they’d be helping at least 160 children this year, up about 25 from 2017.
“We do half clothing, half toys. They have an undisclosed amount that we do for each child, and we just try to help them in times of need,” he said.
After the shopping, the students get their picture taken with Santa and grab a cookie. “It’s a good way to end the night,” Heaton said.
Generous donations and fundraisers Lodge 149 does throughout the year help pay for the event.
Heaton said Shop With A Cop has been going on at least 10 years.
