Asking All Readers....

I don't know if any of you know of the Shop With a Cop program. The second Saturday in December K-Mart and local law enforcement participate in Shop With a Cop. It is for families who are in financial need and may not have much of a Christmas at all!

I've worked at the police department for 15 years and last year was the first year that I really got involved! I'm on the board for the program now. It is REALLY a neat program and a NEAT experience to participate in this program. We take children from ages 4-14. We try to have enough officers so that each child can shop alone with one officer. Officers from the Rexburg Police Department, Madison County Sheriff's Office, Idaho State Police, St. Anthony Police Department, Fremont County Sheriff's Office, Rigby Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Teton County Sheriff's Office, Clark County Sheriff's Office, and Fish and Game all come.

We meet at 6:00 a.m. and then the kids get to ride in a police car and work the lights and siren. Main Street is lit up. If you want to see something SO COOL you should be on Main Street at 6:00 a.m. on December 13 just to watch all of the police cars with lights and sirens going, not to mention the children smiling inside of the cars. We drive to McDonalds where McDonalds donates breakfast for the kids and officers. Once breakfast is over we go to K-Mart.

Each child is given money to spend on themselves and then they also receive money to buy a present for their parents and any siblings who are at home who are under age 4 and older than 14. K-Mart also donates coats, boots, gloves, and hats, to children who do not have outer wear for our cold winters. The police department also gave donated blankets to the kids last year. Paul Mitchell Hair Academy is also getting on board this year and donating haircuts to all of the kids. A local grocery store also gives the families turkeys.

THIS IS REALLY A NEAT THING! Last year it got me in the true Christmas spirit and also made me realize how much I have to be grateful for.

So now, I know Christmas still a couple of months away, but I need your help. Right now we are trying to obtain names of families that are in financial need. If any of you know of a family that is struggling financially and in need please e-mail me and let me know so that I can look into submitting their name. Because we want it to be people truly in need we are VERY careful about who is chosen. Most of the names are now submitted by officers. If there is someone you know of who resides in Madison, Fremont, Teton, Jefferson, and Clark Counties please let me know by e-mailing me either at my work e-mail coletted@rexburg.org or my home e-mail coldav1@msn.com. Bonneville County has their own Shop With a Cop so if there is someone in that area you know of let me know and I can pass that on to them.

Also, there will be a benefit concert on October 26, 2008, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rexburg Tabernacle. Country singer Charley Jenkins will be performing. He is basically donating the proceeds to Shop With a Cop. Tickets are $10.00 a piece.




I have a meeting the first of November so if you think of anyone before November 5, let me know. THANKS!