By MAGGIE MCMURRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
A few special students from Bowler and Perkins Elementaries got to experience the shopping trip of a lifetime last week. Ten students from Bowler and five students from Perkins were identified by the schools’ principals as being good students that were in need and were chosen to participate in the local ‘Shop With a Cop’ program. The annual event is conducted by Metro and other local officers to help kids in need and their families have a great Christmas.
The day started early as fifteen local officers took time from their personal schedules to spend the morning with the chosen students. The kids were picked up at their schools and driven in the officers’ vehicles to Home Hardware in Overton for a very special shopping spree.
Each student and their partner officer were given a $250 budget this year to spend however the student chose. Some kids began by picking out toys and gifts they admired for themselves. Others began by picking out gifts for family members. But all ended up with a cart full of hand-picked toys, games, and other gifts guaranteed to make Christmas special in their homes.
The day didn’t end there, however. After choosing their gifts, the kids were treated to a lunch from the local McDonalds which had donated chicken nugget Happy Meals for all the kids to enjoy.
While the kids were happily eating and visiting together, however, the officers remained busy. They secretly took the carts of gifts to the wrapping tables at the back of the store where the officers, their spouses, and members of the Moapa Valley High School student council waited with scissors, tape, and plenty of wrapping paper donated by Home Hardware. The gifts were all wrapped, labeled, and returned to the officers who will take them to each student’s family later this week along with a Christmas dinner box for each family donated by Lins grocery store.
This event is a favorite every year for the officers who get to participate. The participating officers included not only local Metro, but NHP officers, school police, BLM officers, and three officers from Las Vegas that have local ties.
This year the program was organized for the first time by local Metro officer Chris Kohntopp. Kohntopp took over the reins from officer Andy Caldwell who retired earlier this year.
Funding for the program comes through private donations from both local businesses and valley residents. This year’s business sponsors included America First Credit Union, Lins Marketplace, Home Hardware, and others.
“We love having the kids and the officers here every year,” said Home Hardware owner Randy Tobler. “The officers are so supportive of the community and aware of those in need among us. I think it’s great that these officers truly care about the community they live in.”
Officer Charli Prisbrey is not from here, but came to participate with her husband, fellow officer Brandon Prisbrey, who is.
“This is the first time I have participated in Shop with a Cop and I was so excited to be invited,” Prisbrey said. “This is a great community and this event really serves a great purpose in helping these kids and their families out. It’s been a lot of fun. The enthusiasm everyone has is really contagious.”
Other officers agreed that it is a positive experience for everyone involved. School officer Ray Jewett said, “It’s pretty awesome. I really enjoy hanging out with the kids.”
BLM ranger Stephen Neel agreed, adding, “It’s great to give back to the community and especially these kids. It’s wonderful to see the smiles on their faces. It is really a rewarding experience.”
The kids themselves also had a great time. “This is so fun!” said Nathan, one of the youngsters. “I found this awesome Nerf gun that shoots three bullets at a time! So far the most fun was getting to ride in the police car, though. That was really awesome!”
MVHS student council members, all decked out in Christmas sweaters, were grateful for the opportunity to be involved.
MVHS student body president Kasen Kolhoss agreed. “We’re here because we love the kids in the valley and we love to support our Metro officers as they help and support our community,” he said. “It makes us feel rewarded because we love to imagine how happy the kids will be and to imagine the smiles that we know will be on their faces come Christmas day.”
