LA CENTER POLICE OFFICER Roger Sauve helps a particpant in the Woodland “Shop with a Cop” program pick out socks for her family members. Photo by Mike Schultz.
WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF Fish and Wildlife officer Aaron Marthaller, right, talks Christmas with Amanda Kearney, one of 70 kids who took part in this year’s event. Photo by Mike Schultz.
WOODLAND POLICE OFFICER Brent Murray, left, and Clark County Sheriff’s Office cadet Craig Murray help two kids finish their Christmas shopping. Photo by Mike Schultz.
RIDGEFIELD POLICE CHIEF CARRIE Greene pushes a shopping cart full of items at the Woodland Walmart’s “Shop with a Cop” event, Dec. 7. Photo by Mike Schultz.
For the third consecutive year, members of the Woodland Police Department teamed up with fellow police officers from La Center, Ridgefield and Kalama, as well as with the Walmart Foundation, to help make it a Merry Christmas for area children through their annual “Shop with a Cop” event. This year’s event was held Dec. 7 at the Woodland Walmart.
“We started it after we were contacted by Walmart in 2010 and thought it was a great idea once we learned how it works,” said Woodland Police Department Sergeant Brad Gillespie. “This year, we were able to help more kids and bring in our neighbors from the area to take part, as well.”
The first year saw about 30 children taking part, and in the last two years that number has more than doubled, with 65 children being able to shop this year.
“We were anticipating more, but we actually had some families who didn’t show. Despite that, it was a great time for both us and the kids who did come,” said Gillespie.
How the program works is the Walmart Foundation supplies grants of up to $3,500 to local law enforcement groups every year. If the grant is approved, Gillespie then gets in contact with the Woodland Primary School to find the children who are in need, and also contacts area businesses for additional donations.
“The great thing about this program is that it doesn’t cost any taxpayer money at all,” said Gillespie. “Along with the grant, we were able to get another $5,000 in generous donations from businesses in the area who were all too happy to contribute, so we ended up having enough money to give each child about $100 each to shop with.”
When the families all gathered at the Woodland Walmart on Dec. 7, they were paired up with a police officer who took the children through the store to help them pick out what they wanted.
“We do have a rule for the kids in that they need to buy one piece of winter clothing for themselves, whether it’s a coat, boots, hat and gloves, or whatever they want,” said Gillespie. “Since we know how cold and ugly it can get here during the winter, we want to make sure these kids are able to be safe and warm when they’re outdoors.”
Gillespie said that even though the children can use the money they get to buy more things for themselves, they usually put it toward gifts for their parents, siblings, grandparents and other family members.
“The most often thing they do is find gifts for their parents, but it’s great to see these kids get in the Christmas spirit and think about those around them and not themselves when they’re shopping,” said Gillespie.
One child who took part this year is one of 10 children in a family whose father is overseas serving in the Middle East. Gillespie said because of the generosity of the donations he received, he was able to do a little more for them.
“We were able to have all 10 come down and shop with us, which I know made their holiday season,” said Gillespie. “I really cannot say enough about the business people in our community who pitched in to make this possible. I’ve even had some who didn’t have a chance to donate this year tell me to call them next year so they can help out.”
For Gillespie, the event is an opportunity to not only give back to the community and those in need, but it also shows the human side of law enforcement.
“It’s been really awesome because the kids appreciate what we do for them and they remember that the police are not as bad as they may be told we are,” Gillespie said. “It helps us break down those barriers a little for both the kids and their parents so they know we’re people too and we care about their well-being.”
The impact of the experience is also something the children carry with them through subsequent holidays.
“I’ve had some of them come up to me and say it was the best Christmas they ever had,” said Gillespie. “It’s hard not to smile and feel good when someone tells you something like that.”
For more information on the Shop with a Cop program, or to make a donation for next year’s event, contact Sgt. Brad Gillespie at (360) 225-6965.
