181 area children benefit from Williamsburg Shop With A Cop program

Before she found out about the Shop with a Cop program, Christmas was looking like it was going to be a little rough for Amanda Dunn and her three children, who recently moved to Whitley County from the Florence area.

This was especially going to be true for the younger children, who don’t quite understand the meaning of Christmas yet.

"It’s a relief. It is a very big relief," Dunn said. "Christmas was a rough time for mom and dad, especially this year with us moving and everything else.

"We were putting our heads together to figure out something for all three of the kids. It is a blessing that we have this. It is a blessing from God."

Dunn’s three children were among 181 less fortunate children, who took part in the Seventh Annual Williamsburg Police Department Shop with a Cop program. The children were all treated to $100 shopping sprees each at the Williamsburg Wal-Mart Thursday evening.

Dunn said that she found out about the program at her children’s school, Whitley East Elementary.

"I am new to town. This is an incredible event. We didn’t have this up north. It was on the news all the time, but you didn’t have something like this," Dunn said.

"It is amazing. It is really awesome for these guys. My children were thrilled."

Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said that many of the children, who took part in the event, were very organized. Some had already gone through the store a few days earlier, and put together their wish list.

He said that one girl he took shopping had made her list, and was finished shopping in about five minutes.

"She had a list and knew exactly what she wanted," Bird said. "Most of the kids get toys. You have a lot of children that will buy for siblings, and so forth.

"A lot of them like to get clothes and shoes. It is not just toys. There are some really smart kids, who get what they need to take care of their siblings and their self."

Choking back tears, Mayor Roddy Harrison said that seeing the smiles on the children’s faces during the event always brings a smile to his face.

Bird said that when the department first started the program, officers had to get out and hustle trying to get donations from it.

"With the mud bog, and the Turkey Trot and donations we had from the community, we didn’t have to get out and do much this year," Bird said. "People are actually coming to us to give donations. It was another successful year for Shop with a Cop."

Bird said that because of the economy this year, he feels like the program is making an even bigger impact on most of the children.

Harrison said that knowing the quality of the people in the region, he isn’t surprised they donate to this program, but the amount of community support does surprise him.

"Their hearts are with kids that is what this is all about, kids," Harrison said.

The police department selects children for the program based largely on lists it receives from local school resource centers. Other referrals come from social workers and contacts that police make through the course of their daily work.

"If we answer a complaint and we see a needy family, then officers will put those names on the list," Bird said.

"We’re a 12-man police department. For us to handle 181 kids would be tough without support from city workers and other volunteers, who come over here to help out with this," Bird added.

"We couldn’t do this just with police officers. A big thanks goes out to the city workers and the rest of the volunteers that come over and help us with it."

Harrison echoed similar sentiments that nearly everyone has contributed to the success of the program.