Children ‘Shop With a Cop’
Published: December 22, 2005
MONMOUTH - Area law enforcement agencies and associated staff continued a holiday tradition recently, with the annual Shop With a Cop Program, conducted Sunday, Dec. 18.
The 2005 Shop With a Cop event was “a very smooth deal,” said officer Terry Hepner of the Monmouth Police Department (MPD), who coordinated this year’s program. “Everything went off without a hitch…and all the kids got what they wanted.”
Shop With a Cop is an opportunity for local law enforcement officers to reach out to the community’s needy children, providing them with a pizza party and a $100 per child shopping spree at Walmart in Galesburg.
This year, 32 children received the opportunity to take part in the program, as $3,200 was raised for the event through private and personal donations, as well as through funds supplied by the Fraternal Order of Police. Officers from the MPD, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the Monmouth/Warren County Auxiliary Police participated, along with dispatchers and some of the officers’ spouses. The Monmouth Police Explorers, a local youth program, also assisted with the event.
Hepner explained that this year’s festivities began with a pizza party at the south fire station, with pizza and refreshments provided by Breadeaux Pizza. Santa Claus also attended the party and spoke with the children.
“Three of the children actually got a present before we left,” Hepner said, explaining that before departing the south station, a drawing was held in which three children were randomly chosen to receive a donated bicycle, two of which were provided by a private donor, with the third donated by the MPD.
After arriving at Walmart, the children were treated to their shopping spree, which lasted about an hour and a half. At the conclusion of their shopping, participants were treated to cookies, pop, and popcorn by the Galesburg store.
“This was definitely a success this year,” Hepner said. “We plan to continue this every year.”
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