GREENFIELD — The patter of little feet on pavement reverberated through the air as each child crossed the finish line, smiles etched on their faces.
They knew, they’d been taught, that their little run along the Pennsy Trail would go a long way in helping kids in their community who might have less than they do. Their efforts will make someone’s Christmas a little brighter.
The holiday season might still be a few months away, but students at the Helping Build Tomorrow preschool in Greenfield organized a fundraiser for the Greenfield Police Department’s Cops-4-Kids program, a December event that pairs local police with kids in need for a Christmas shopping spree.
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About a dozen kids from the preschool gathered donations and sought sponsorships for their participation in a 1K run that took place Tuesday morning outside of the police station in downtown Greenfield.
Uniformed officers dotted the trail, cheering on the kids as they ran along the blacktop. Some officers even joined in the run, jogging along next to youngsters, laughing with every step.
And once their run was done, the kids shared a snack with the police and took a tour of the department.
Helping Build Tomorrow’s director Teresa Webster said she expects the kids to have raised more than $700 for the department’s Christmas program. In 2017 — the first time the preschool held a fundraiser — the kids gave the department about $500.
Last year, the Greenfield Police Department raised about $12,000 total, enough money to take 40 local kids Christmas shopping. Each child was able to spend about $300 on clothing, books, toys and electronics — brightening a holiday where they might have gone without.
The donation from Helping Build Tomorrow will hopefully kick start this year’s fundraising efforts and inspire more community members to give to the police department’s program, organizers said.
Robin Burkett, a teacher at Helping Build Tomorrow, said the Christian school strives to teach its students the importance of giving back to the community.
This fundraiser gives teachers the opportunity to talk with kids about the importance of helping those less fortunate and inspire them to help, she said.
At the same time, it gives the kids a chance to connect in a positive way with the police officers who protect their neighborhoods every day, Burkett said. It shows the kids that police officers are trusted and friendly members of the community, people they can always turn to for help.
Donations to Cops-4-Kids can be mailed to the Greenfield Police Department at 116 S. State St.