On Saturday over 100 children from St. Mary’s County did their Christmas shopping with cops in the annual “Shop With a Cop” program.
The program helps disadvantaged children by pairing them with police officials and giving them the financial opportunity to buy gifts for their family for Christmas. This year each child was allowed to spend $200 at Wal-Mart.
A couple of the youngsters selected new bikes to take home; many others chose much-needed clothing. During the first year of the program one child spent the allotted money filling his cart with cleaning necessities for the home – the program later took him back with additional money to shop again, this time for gifts and toys.
Many of the children have been part of the program for more than one year. “They look better,” said Sheriff Tim Cameron of the children who had returned from earlier years. The families had also warmed to the cops. “Last year one mother met us on the street rather than the driveway,” recalled Cameron. “This year she invited the officer into their home.”
Once the shopping was complete the cops took the children to Leonardtown Fairgrounds where they wrapped the presents and enjoyed breakfast to Christmas music and a Muppet show, before returning home. Senator Roy Dyson and Commissioner Kenny Dement were at the fairgrounds to meet with the volunteers and chat with children. School Board member, Bill Mattingly – who lead the 7th District Optimist Club – assisted with the entertainment, putting his sons’ audio system to new use, providing festive music for the crowd. “It’s such a great program,” Mattingly told The Bay Net. “I think it was very successful, and these are some of the children who most need it.”
Optimist Toni Long was pleased with this year’s event, which was the largest yet. Calvert County inaugural Shop With a Cop was held on the same day. “It’s their first year,” Long told The Bay Net. “I think they had around 18 children.”
View video footage from the day above and below, and see a slideshow of photos below. The Bay Net Photos by Anna Bedford, others generously shared by Frank Marquart.