Police put cheer into Christmas
Published: November 28, 2007
For the past seven years, Lane Dorsey’s immune system has suffered because she was born with two holes in her heart.
Her dad died when she was six weeks old, and her mother hasn’t been able to work because Lane can’t go to day care or school.
“I don’t take her out in public because of her immune system,” said Lane’s mother, Sandra Jones. “She’s sick right now and she hasn’t been out of the house in a week, but she picked up that thing that’s going around from people who have come over.
“We just have to be very careful.”
But one outdoor trip Lane won’t be missing is the Dec. 8 “Shop with a Cop” excursion at Target planned by the local Fraternal Order of Police lodge.
For the past two years, Lane participated in the annual program that pairs law enforcement officers with needy families so children can experience a better Christmas.
“Financially, it’s been very hard, but ‘Shop with a Cop’ has helped her enjoy Christmas,” Jones said. “It gives my daughter a chance to participate in Christmas when ordinarily, she wouldn’t get a chance to.”
“Shop with a Cop” has been an annual program on and off for about 16 years in Nash and Edgecombe counties, but the FOP Lodge No. 46 resurrected the program four years ago.
“This year, our goal is to take 15 to 20 children out of all age ranges,” said Tonya Sconyers, a probation/parole officer and the local FOP president.
Most of the children will be chosen from the Twin Counties, but the FOP also is including a Franklin County family, which recently lost its home to fire.
“Each child will be paired with a law enforcement officer at the store, and they’ll pick out necessities like clothes, shoes, a jacket and one toy,” Sconyers said.
Jones called “Shop with a Cop” a wonderful program, one that her daughter refuses to miss.
“She absolutely loves it, so we’ll be there,” Jones said.
Sharpsburg police officers also will be spreading a little holiday cheer when they take a group of children shopping on Dec. 22 at Wal-Mart. Called Operation Blue Christmas, Sharpsburg police debuted the program a year ago.
“Last year, for every $100 we raised, we spent it on the kids, so we helped 30 kids,” Sharpsburg Police Chief B.C. Bissette said. “This year, we wanted to make it more family-oriented.”
For each family, Bissette said, $100 will go toward groceries, $100 toward utility bills and $100 for the child’s shopping spree.
“Less kids, but more benefit to the family,” Bissette said.
The FOP’s fundraisers throughout the year already have generated enough money to pay for this year’s “Shop with a Cop,” but Sharpsburg police still are looking for both donations and nominations of area families who need help around the holidays.
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