Photo by Kathy Turner
Photo by Kathy Turner
Photo by Kathy Turner
Photo by Kathy Turner
Photo by Kathy Turner
Photo by Kathy Turner
Photo by Kathy Turner
Photo by Kathy Turner
EDWARDSVILLE — Shoppers at Target’s Troy Road store weren’t sure what was happening Dec. 17 as a parade of police cars – lights flashing and sirens blaring – arrived at the front entrance.
Turns out it was the arrival of a crew of Edwardsville Police Department officers and 21 children from the Edwardsville School District for the annual Shop with a Cop adventure.
“This is something that the officers look forward to each year,” Officer Rick Thompson said. “I think we enjoy it as much as the kids.”
Now in its seventh year, the outing benefited 21 children age 1 to 16.
“Each child receives $200 to spend on Christmas gifts for themselves,” Thompson said. “They can spend it any way they want.”
The morning kicked off with a breakfast provided by the Burger King at 2204 Troy Road. Rob Terry, the restaurant’s district manager who was overseeing his fourth event, said the local Burger King has been part of the program since day one.
“The police do a lot for this community every day,” he said. “When we can do something to help, it is truly our honor.”
After breakfast, the kids loaded into the police cars and headed to their shopping spree. They were greeted by Santa and Mrs. Claus, who roamed the store and offered assistance finding the perfect gift. After pairing up with an officer, each child headed out to find just the right gift for those on their list.
Young Drew came prepared. He shared a handwritten list showing his search was on for gifts for mom, dad, grandparents, siblings and “some of my friends.”
“I don’t think I’ll have enough for all my friends, so I picked the ones I really wanted to buy for,” he said.
Some of the other children weren’t quite as organized. Deyonna, who shopped with Officer Justin Towell, moved quickly through the aisles trying to decide just what might be the one item she could not live without. As she walked and looked, she could be heard whispering under her breath “there is so much here that I really, really like.”
There were also the practical shoppers. One boy spent a good deal of time in the clothing section.
“I really need some jeans,” he said. “And I’d like some snow pants. But I also need dress pants.”
As he searched the racks for just the right apparel, his “buddy” officer watched patiently and added advice on sizing, suggesting he may want to try items on to make sure they fit.
Shoppers enjoyed the event as much as the children and the officers. One woman, trying to finish up her own shopping, stopped and watched with a tear in her eye while thanking the officers for their dedication.
“This is so neat,” she said. “These kids are having so much fun. This is something that means so much to them. “
Funds for the shopping event are raised throughout the year, primarily through the Fraternal Order of the Police union, along with some business and private donations. Sgt. Matt Briehan of the Edwardsville Police Department was the coordinator for this year’s event, but said he had help from other officers.
Tony Dietz, who assisted with putting together the family gift baskets, said the baskets were actually totes that included lots of personal need items such as shampoo and toothpaste, along with popcorn and card games for game nights, and a blanket for the family to snuggle under as the weather turns cold.
“I tried to pull together things that everyone needs as well as something that would give them an opportunity to enjoy their family time together,” Dietz said.
Once the gifts were chosen and paid for, the children headed to the Target cafeteria area, converted to a gift-wrapping station. Wives, family members and special helpers wrapped each package, complete with name tags, to be opened on Christmas morning by the children and their family.
Two volunteers for wrapping duty were Edwardsville Police Explorer Program members Mitchell Heberer and Sam Cheatam. They volunteered for the event, they said, because they knew it would be fun to be part of giving back to the community.
The smiles on children’s faces made it evident that the seventh annual Shop with a Cop was a success. They went away with packages for their family to enjoy on Christmas morning, a nice breakfast from Burger King and, perhaps most importantly, a great understanding that the police officers of the Edwardsville community really are members of Santa’s workforce.