‘Shop with a Cop’ brings Christmas to area’s children
By MINDY TATE, Editor
mtate@williamsonherald.com
The average shopper wandering into Wal-Mart on Sunday morning might have been concerned when they saw dozens of uniformed police officers inside the store, but no need for alarm.
Sunday was the day for the Morris Heithcock Fraternal Order of Police Lodge’s annual “Shop with a Cop” program. Officers from almost every department in the county participated, helping approximately 115 children shop for Christmas presents they might otherwise not get.
Participating agencies were the Williamson County and Davidson County Sheriff’s Departments and the Franklin and Brentwood Police Departments, as well as an assistant district attorney, according to Adrian Breedlove, Lodge president and a Brentwood Police detective.
Each child had approximately $175 to spend, with the emphasis on clothes, shoes and other necessities with a little left over for toys and other Christmas wishes.
If you do the math, that means more than $20,000 was spent, most of it raised from telephone solicitations, Breedlove said, and even some in the Christmas spirit that day.
“Most of the money is raised through telephone solicitations and other money is raised through people who know us and support the program,” he said. “We had several people while we were there who gave us donations on the spot.
“Wal-Mart gives us a little discount and that helps us out tremendously,” Breedlove added. “When we are spending $20,000 every little bit helps.”
For many of the participating officers, it is a day off or time that could be spent with family, but instead they come shopping with the children.
“It is for the community and helps out people we serve and it is the spirit of the season,” Breedlove said of why officers get up on what is traditionally an early Sunday morning event. “This is the officers’ opportunity to give to those less fortunate than us.”
It is also a time of positive interaction between officers and the children and their parents, he said, and a 20-year tradition in Williamson County.
Posted on: 12/20/2007
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