GREENFIELD — The little girl had a huge smile on her face and a firm grip on Greenfield Police Department Chief Brian Hartman’s hand. They were walking as fast as she could pull the chief to the toy section of Walmart.
Hartman, along with 15 of his officers and their family members were scattered throughout the store Sunday, helping local families in need make sure their children have plenty of gifts this holiday season through their annual Cops-4-Kids program.
Officials from the GPD and Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, who also held their Shop-With-A-Deputy event Saturday at Walmart, say the annual shopping events are something they look forward to each holiday season.
Hartman’s heart was full Sunday morning, he said standing inside Walmart. His day started around 6 a.m. when he and his wife walked up to the door of the little girl they were helping and caught a glimpse of her looking out the window waiting for them.
“She was standing there and started smiling and came running to the door,” Hartman said. “It’s normally dark and cold in the morning when we start this and our guys are giving up their Sunday morning, but I’m telling you, just walking up to the door and seeing the smile on the little girl’s face, I’d have gotten up at 4 a.m. to help her.”
Hartman and his officers picked up the children they were shopping with, took them to McDonald’s for breakfast and then spent a couple of hours shopping with the children before taking them home with all their new Christmas gifts.
The event is so rewarding, Hartman said, that it’s hard to determine who ends up enjoying it more — the kids or the officers and their family members.
Dana Nance puts the event together each year for the GPD and said they had a banner year with funding thanks to their sponsors and were able to purchase at least $350 worth of gifts for some 45 different children.
“It’s always necessity first, so we spend about $200 on shoes and clothes and other things they need, and that leaves about $150 for toys and other gifts,” Nance said.
The officers taking part do not get paid for helping out but rather take part through the goodness in their hearts. For K-9 officer Stephen Kalk, who said he was raised to step up and help others, he and his wife Cortney Kalk look forward to the event each Christmas.
Kalk was walking up and down the shoe section looking for a pair of boots for the young man he was shopping with while his wife was helping the boy’s twin sister get the things she needed.
“Things like this, this is why I became a police officer,” Kalk said. “This is one of those things that you really look forward to doing because we’re at work, but we’re not really at work.”
Kalk, who has participated in the event each of the 14 years he’s been on the force, noted many times while on duty officers can’t let their guard down, but in situations like this, they can relax and focus in on an individual who is in need.
Mayor Chuck Fewell attended the event along with his wife, noting the shopping event is one of their favorite things to attend each year because it’s great seeing happy children.
“I’m always glad to be here for this,” Fewell said. “We’ve not missed one and this is important and the kids love it … Seeing these little kids happy makes it all worthwhile.”
DARE Officer Danny Williams and his wife Aerin Williams were at the checkout line helping out making sure the kids ended up with all they needed before sending them to see Santa for a photo opportunity. Danny Williams is in the local schools often and said it’s hard seeing some children go without.
“Being here today is a rewarding feeling seeing the kids’ faces and it feels good being able to help them out,” Williams said. “This is a great program and this is what they mean when they say protect and serve your community.”
Aerin Williams noted taking part in the event gave her a great feeling as well.
“I was so excited to help that last night I didn’t get a lot of sleep,” she said. “It was kind of like Christmas Eve.”
For the dozens of families they helped, it certainly was.
Sheriff’s event coordinator Penney Weiler said that they helped 24 children from 10 different families Saturday thanks to the help of 30 volunteers from the Sheriff’s Department and their family members.
“One little girl told her shopper, ‘it was the best day of her life,’” Weiler said. “Walmart went over and above helping us out this year, they even set up a photo spot for Santa for all the kids, as well as the deputies.”
