By MAGGIE MCMURRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
Fifteen local elementary school children were treated to an experience they will never forget on Wednesday last week. Local law enforcement officers picked them up at school in their patrol cars and took them to True Value/Home Hardware in Overton for the annual Shop With a Cop event.
Shop With a Cop is a non-profit program where local Metro officers use community donations to help provide Christmas gifts to children in need. The program in Moapa Valley began several years ago and has continued to grow due to the generosity of local citizens and businesses.
Children are chosen to participate in the program by their schools after being identified by school staff as being both in need and a good student. This year 11 children were chosen from Grant Bowler and 4 from Perkins Elementary.
Each child got to shop for Christmas presents with his or her own personal law enforcement officer. Because of the larger numbers this year, not only did every local Metro officer participate, but Highway Patrol, Lake Mead Park Rangers, and the NDOW Game Warden were also involved.
The officer were assisted in the store by their spouses who helped keep track of things as each child walked through the store with a cart choosing gifts for family members. Due to the generosity of donors, this year each child had $272 to spend on gifts.
As the children picked out gifts for their families, officers also noted which gifts the children themselves wanted or admired. After their lists were complete, the children were taken back to the garden center building for lunch. Overton McDonald’s had donated a Happy Meal for each child.
Meanwhile the officers inside purchased gifts, not only for the kids’ families, but also the presents that the kids had admired for themselves.
After the shopping was done, the real work began. The officers and their wives, along with many volunteers, including several student council members from Moapa Valley High School, met in the back of Home Hardware and began wrapping. Gifts were carefully tracked and tagged so the officers could deliver them to the homes of their shopping companions later that day.
In addition to the presents provided by Metro, Lins Marketplace also donated an entire Christmas dinner to the family of each child. Dinners this year consisted of a spiral cut ham, stuffing ingredients, rolls, potatoes, pumpkin pie, gravy, several vegetables, snack foods, and even whipping cream.
“It was fantastic this year,” said Lin’s store manager Daren Leach. “Thanks to the rise in donations, we were able to do more for each child. They are getting a bigger meal this year than we have ever been able to give before. This is a great program.”
Everyone that participated had a great time. Aspyn, a 4th grader, picked out toys for 2 sisters and a younger brother.
“I like the shopping,” she said. “But my favorite part was riding in the police car!”
“Yes, riding in the police car was super awesome because it was the good kind of ride, not the bad kind,” agreed 5th grader Ransom.
Volunteers also loved the feeling of helping out. MVHS Student Council member Autumn Udall, who helped wrapping gifts said, “I am so glad I came. It is a good service to do. The kids are so excited. It can’t help but make you feel good.”
Home Hardware was also instrumental in helping the day go off smoothly. Not only did the store sell the giftrs at a discount, they also provided all the wrapping paper and supplies, as well as room in the store for all the wrapping, eating, and shopping going on.
In addition, this year for the first time there was enough money left over to provide a really nice gift to 20 Mack Lyon students who also fit the criteria of being a good student and in need. Home Hardware was able to get a good discount for Metro so they could make a great Christmas for these kids as well.
“I’m so glad I can be a part of this program,” said Home Hardware owner/manager Randy Tobler. “Our local officers do a lot for this community and we are so lucky to have officers that live out here and care. It’s neat to see how this program has grown as it has been supported by the community. It’s been a great day.”
Local Metro officer and program coordinator Andy Caldwell said that planning and completing the event had been fun. “We are so grateful to all the officers and volunteers who came today to help, as well as to Home Hardware for helping us out and being great to work with,” he said. “It is really through the efforts of everyone that we could pull this off. It was absolutely our best year ever.”
Caldwell stresses that their non-profit organization, Friends of Las Vegas Metro Police, accepts donations for this event all year round. People who are interested in supporting Shop With a Cop can donate or learn more about it by contacting Officer Caldwell through the Overton Sub-Station at 702-397-2669.
