People line up for Shop With A Cop at Walmart in Columbus on Sunday.
Carla Clark | For The Republic
More than 200 children from Brown and Bartholomew counties were individually taken on a $250 shopping spree over the weekend.
There were 51 kids residing in Nashville and surrounding areas who got to “Shop With A Cop” at the Walmart on Columbus’ far west side Saturday, Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Jim Green said.
They were escorted by deputies such as Green as well as officers with the Indiana State Department of Natural Resources.
But the big event was on Sunday. That’s when approximately 150 children from Bartholomew County enjoyed the same “Shop With A Cop” experience. These shopping sprees for kids up to age 12 are sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 89. Agencies with participating officers during Sunday’s event include the Columbus Police Department, the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police, DNR, town marshals and jail correctional staff members.
Although a number of holiday charities reportedly had a difficult time financially this year, “Shop With A Cop” had no problems handling demand, FOP president Alan Trisler said.
“The community has once again gone above and beyond,” Trisler said. “In fact, several of our donors have come out today to help us. That’s really good because they get to see their money in action.”
The FOP president — who identified Dorel Industries as one of the top corporate donors — said his charity is officially called the “FOP 89 Youth Program”. Unknown to many, it includes year-round giving that involves supporting early education and helping to make school textbooks more affordable for disadvantaged families.
“And if there is another issue that needs to be taken care of, such as a house fire, we would use our funds to help kids replace things,” Trisler said.
Right before Sunday’s event started, FOP members knew they were in for a busy afternoon when there were more than 120 kids, parents and guardians lined up with shopping carts from the middle of the store stretching all the way east to the produce department.
Accompanied by his wife, Suzy, Columbus Police Chief Mike Richardson was among the first to take a group on their shopping excursion. The couple spent a good deal of their afternoon with three siblings: Mariana Hernandez, 9, Enrique Hernandez, who is about to turn 10, and their big sister, Nataley Cowin, 11.
Officers are instructed to limit the number of toys each child gets to between $60 to $70, and spend the rest of the $250 on clothes.
Unfortunately, there was a supply chain problem with one of the most in-demand clothing articles: winter coats, Trisler said.
But Enrique seemed satisfied with a hefty fall jacket that appeared to be capable of keeping him warm during most days. He also got a guitar and a Ryan’s World toy while walking the store with the police chief. For Mariana, her choices included Blippi dolls and a “Raya and The Last Dragon” toy.
Chief Richardson smiled as their big sister, Nataley, helped her younger siblings make the right choices within their budget — and later as the 11-year-old chose a book, puzzle and a stuffed animal to give to a cousin.
“Those big sisters are pretty smart, aren’t they?” Richardson asked Enrique. However, his attention was on an Nerf Ultra Blaster. It was Nataley who let him know the toy was well beyond his allotment.
Staying just a few paces behind Richardson and his entourage was the mother of the siblings, Dawn Cowin, who picked up essentials like undergarments that she wanted to pay for herself.
“I love ‘Shop With A Cop’,” Dawn Cowin said. “I did it when I was little, so seeing my kids do it is a great tradition.”
Cowan, who said she attends adult classes to prepare her for a career in law enforcement, said the event gives her kids the opportunity to become comfortable around law enforcement officers.
While most law enforcement face unpleasant situations, the police chief said Sunday was quite a morale booster.
“It’s great to come out here, spend time with the kids and try to make a difference in their lives,” Richardson said. “That’s very important to me, the other officers and the sponsors who help us do this every year.”
There was an unusually high number of young male officers who attended their first “Shop With A Cop”, Trisler said. Luckily, most were advised by seasoned officers that it’s a good idea to recruit a teenage or adult female to help small girls get what they need.
It’s no secret that the officers often feel a degree of holiday joy by making bonds with younger children during the four-and-a-half hour event. But sometimes, that Christmas magic shines on a police officer in a different way.
Columbus Police officer Jackie Recarte was smiling from ear-to-ear when her father, Uruguay native Fermin Recarte, came to Columbus immediately after a trip to Brazil to be with her daughter during “Shop With A Cop”, as well as to celebrate her birthday.
Officer Recarte said “Shop With A Cop” has become one of her favorite annual events, especially when she can help interpret Spanish for a young child and a fellow officer.
