by Mollie Rushmeyer
news@thenewsleaders.com
A swarm of police officers inside a department store might typically be cause for concern, but from 4-6 p.m. Dec. 20 the Sartell Police Department hosted the Shop-with-a-Cop program at the Sartell Walmart to ensure kids with extra needs were able to enjoy the gift-giving of the holiday season.
Thanks to a grant the Sartell Police Department acquired through Walmart department stores and a donation made by Bernick’s beverage company in Waite Park, each participating child received a $50 Walmart gift card and was paired with a Sartell or Sauk Rapids police officer to shop for the items they wanted. Children could buy gifts for themselves, their families and even purchase food and necessities.
Children are chosen for the program by their teachers or school-resource officers if they needed a little extra help during the holiday season. For many, the Shop-with-a-Cop program enables them to pick out Christmas presents they wouldn’t normally get to.
Each of the 14 officers present, volunteered their time. To the police departments and the businesses involved, it’s all about making a difference in the children’s lives and bringing Christmas cheer – evident by the smiles on both the officers’ and children’s faces up and down the aisles during the event.
The Shop-with-a-Cop program was started in 2010, and 25-year veteran Walmart staff Rose Seanger said she has been involved since the beginning on the store side of things.
“It’s heartwarming,” Seanger said of the experience watching the kids shop.
“There’s a lot of thinking of others in the family,” she said. “It’s a very humbling experience being a part of this.”
She recalls one year a child only wanted to buy food for his family with the gift card, but everyone pulled together to buy food so he could still use his money for gifts. Seanger, along with other Walmart staff, work on welcoming the families and children, putting out holiday treats and refreshments while the children anxiously wait for their turn to shop with one of the officers. The officers then take the families one by one out to the floor and spend time with each child to ensure they get what they want.
“This is a fun way to meet with kids instead of some of the hard ways we might (meet) otherwise,” said officer Matt Gray of the Sartell Police Department.
Sharing the sentiment, officer Swiggum from the Sauk Rapids Police Department said of his first experience with the program on Dec. 20:
“This is pretty fun. It’s nice to get out and do something fun like this.” Also reflecting that when they get called out somewhere it isn’t usually for a good reason, so this was a nice change.
Officer Tim Sigler of the Sauk Rapids Police Department shops with Haylee Backen, 9, to help her spend the money she received through the Shop With a Cop event. On Dec. 20 from 4-6 p.m. at the Sartell Walmart children who needed a little extra help during the holiday season received a $50 Walmart gift card they could spend on Christmas gifts for themselves, others or even household items.
Local officers work as liaisons in the schools, getting to know the families and their needs. From there they choose children for the Shop With a Cop program based on who could use a little extra help during the holiday season. Here Gage Johnson, 7, with Sartell Officer Shelby Lane, shows his proud find from the toy aisle.
Officer Charlie Swiggum of the Sauk Rapids Police Department participates in Shop With a Cop for the first time, a program made possible through a Walmart grant and donations from Bernick’s in Waite Park. Kara Kranz (left), her daughter Savannah Hamlin, 6, along with Officer Swiggum, pick out Christmas gifts.
Sisters Maddie Roberts (left), 6, and Macy Roberts, 4, have a tough choice to make between rollerblades and scooters during the Shop With a Cop event at the Sartell Walmart Dec. 20, but officer Jenna Abel of the Sartell Police Department is there to lend a hand. Officer Abel assisted the girls in spending a $50 gift card each to go toward whatever they chose.
Done in the toy department, Collin Rybaczuk (left), 8, and brother Nathan Rybaczuk, 9, head to the video games with officer Jeremy Welsh of the Sauk Rapids Police Department in tow to assist and spread holiday cheer.
Rose Seanger, a 25-year employee of Walmart, has been involved in the Shop With a Cop program since its inception. Here she wraps some of the children’s finds, as often they buy not only for themselves but for other family members as well.
