HANCOCK COUNTY — He was too young to understand exactly how it all worked, but the 2-year-old boy riding around in the shopping cart knew it was a special day.
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Surrounded by a giant Olaf in the cart, from the popular Disney movie “Frozen,” the child smiled widely after trying on a pair of new tennis shoes with the help of Ross Yoder, a detective with the Greenfield Police Department, and his wife, Candace Yoder.
The couple were part of the police department’s annual Cops-4-Kids Christmas shopping spree for area children. The event was one of two during the weekend by area police departments. The McCordsville Police Department also sponsored a shopping spree for children. More events are this coming weekend.
“His little eyes just lit up when we got here,” Candice Yoder said of the GPD team’s visit to WalMart on Sunday morning, Dec. 8. “You could tell he was excited when we put a toy in the cart and he realized he got to keep it.”
First thing Sunday morning, officers and their spouses picked up the child assigned to them and headed to McDonald’s, where everyone ate a free breakfast before heading to Walmart.
The gift-giving program is one Chief Jeff Rasche looks forward to each year. He enjoys seeing how the children they shop with often spend the money to get clothes and toys for their siblings or something for their parents rather than themselves.
“We see the struggles that these families have, and they want to tell you about it,” Rasche said. “It’s a way of life for these kids who don’t have what we have every day.”
Rasche noted the department could not put on the event without the generosity of the community making the Cops-4-Kids a success.
Dana Nance keeps records for the department and said this year the program collected a record amount of monetary donations, allowing 48 area children to shop with 23 officers. The children had $300 each to spend, but organizers stress needs before wants to the children who take part.
The families in need go through an application process to get to participate, Nance said. As a mother and grandmother herself, this type of giving always warms her heart.
“These kids will appreciate this more than, say, my kids because for them it’s something they’ll never forget,” Nance said.
Mayor Chuck Fewell and his wife, Kristen, who is a teacher at Harris Elementary School and often sees children in need, were also in attendance supporting the effort. The mayor likes the campaign because it allows young children to have a positive experience with law enforcement.
“This could be their first experience with a police officer, and you have this positive image, and they know this police officer is their friend,” the mayor said.
Officer Alex Roberts and his wife, Taylor Roberts, also took part in the event for the second year. They each shopped with an older child, helping them get socks, shoes, shirts and jeans.
“We’re spending more money on clothes because that’s what he needs,” the officer said.
They planned to save a little money for a video game or maybe a skateboard. Taylor Roberts said while her husband has a tough exterior, for a tough job, an opportunity to help children is something that brings him a lot of joy.
“He’s a big teddy bear at heart,” she said.
Saturday, public safety officers in McCordsville were also playing Santa.
The second annual Holidays with Heroes event at Meijer in McCordsville drew about 40 children and about the same number of first-responders, including those from the McCordsville Police Department, Vernon Township Fire Department, Buck Creek Fire Department, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the McCordsville Metropolitan Board of Police Commissioners.
Aaron Watts, a detective with the McCordsville Police Department who organized Holidays with Heroes, said the number of kids the event helped almost doubled from 2018. He added the event employs an application process advertised through the Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation.
Watts said he admires how the event provides a positive view of police officers.
“We’re human beings, and we genuinely do care about the people that we serve,” he said.
McCordsville-based Daniel’s Family Vineyard & Winery raised $5,000 for Holidays with Heroes through its Whoville Ball, an annual event that encourages attendees to dress like characters from the town Dr. Seuss created for his book, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” Meijer matched the amount, allowing each child participating in Holidays with Heroes to spend $250.
Daniel and Kim Cook, owners of Daniel’s Family Vineyard & Winery, said they hope to see Holidays with Heroes grow by 20 kids next year.
When people interact with first-responders, oftentimes it’s because of an emergency, said Ray Hashely, public information officer for the Vernon Township Fire Department. Events like Holidays with Heroes allow people to connect with first-responders in a manner free of blaring sirens and life-threatening situations, he continued.
“It’s great for the kids to be able to see us in a non-emergency situation as well, just to understand that police and fire and first-responders are people they can trust,” Hashley said.
McCordsville Police Chief Paul Casey also feels the outreach not only provides Christmas gifts for dozens of kids, but forges a closer bond between emergency personnel and those they’ve sworn to protect and serve.
“We as police officers are here for the community as much on the personal side as we are on the professional side,” Casey said.
Tim Snyder, store director at Meijer in McCordsville, said the family-owned company finds it important to participate in programs like Holidays with Heroes to help families in need during Christmastime.
“And there’s no better partner than first-responders,” he added.
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Remaining law enforcement child’s holiday shopping events:
The Fortville Police Department will host their Shop with a Cop program at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. They plan to stop at McDonald’s for breakfast and then head to Walmart. Newly appointed Judge Marie Castetter will attend the event and support the children.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Department will host their annual Shop with a Deputy event, Sunday, Dec. 15 at Walmart.
The Shirley Police Department is teaming up with Blue Angel Connect (www.blueangelconnect.org) to deliver surprise Christmas presents to a few deserving families in Shirley and other parts of Hancock County for the fourth year. The event is slated for Dec. 21. They provide presents to the entire family including food so the family may prepare a Christmas dinner together. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be tagging along in the police car to deliver these gifts to the families.
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