CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Santa Claus made a special delivery to dozens of Forest County children Sunday afternoon at the Clarion Wal-Mart as part of the county’s Shop With a Cop program.
More than 80 kids were treated to a shopping spree at Wal-Mart through the efforts of the Forest County Sheriff’s Department.
Forest County Sheriff Bob Wolfgang told exploreClarion.com how the program began.
“My chief deputy, Bill Carbaugh, had been after me to get one started, and when we did our first one in 2013, we were overwhelmed with the response we got from everyone,” Wolfgang explained.
“It’s turned out to be very, very successful.”
Law enforcement officers and first responders from the area were out in force to help kids shop and pick out items such as coats, boots, warm clothes, and of course, toys.
They included officers from the State Police based in Marienville and Clarion; Pa. Game Commission; Forest County Sheriff’s Department; Borough Police in New Bethlehem and Knox; Clarion County Sheriff’s Department; Forest County Probation; and the Tionesta Volunteer Fire Department.
“We are very grateful for all the law enforcement and first responders that give of their time to be here today with the kids,” Wolfgang said. “We couldn’t get it done without them.”
One of the volunteer shoppers was Ed Hook of Knox. Hook was a military police officer with the U.S. Army and served in Germany from 1957-59.
“It’s a good thing to do, and I have lots of fun doing it,” Hook said.
The event has grown from 62 kids getting to participate to 83 this year.
Cheri Switzer, who works in the Forest County Sheriff’s Department and helps organize the program, said there were 83 kids this year, and they did not have to turn any away. Each child received a $100.00 gift card to shop with.
“It’s really been nice to see how it’s grown. We’ve had more than $12,000.00 in donations, and that’s allowed us to serve every child in Forest County that applied,” Switzer said.
Switzer said that applications are sent home with the children from school. To be eligible for the program, the child has to live in Forest County and meet certain eligibility requirements.
“We’ve had great response from the community and area businesses,” Wolfgang said. “We had one camp owner donate $1,500.00 when he heard about it.”
“Also, Muccio Buses donated the use of two buses and drivers to bring the kids here today.”
The shopping spree wasn’t the only thing for the kids.
After the shopping was over, everyone went to McDonald’s for lunch.
Switzer said they also provide a complete holiday meal to each family, including a turkey, potatoes, and other food from Farm Fresh Foods in Tionesta.
The Shop With a Cop program started in Minnesota in the winter of 2000.
The initial idea started with Retired Chief John Harrington, then a Senior Commander with the St. Paul Police Department Western District, and Arnoldo Curiel, then Coordinator of the Frogtown Weed and Seed initiative.
As the program progressed, it was joined by the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation; District 7 and 8 Planning Councils; West Minnehaha Recreation Center; and various members of the Frogtown and Summit-University communities.
From 2000 to 2004 the operating support for “Shop with Cops” came from federal Weed and Seed dollars, a strategy which ” weeds” out crime in communities and plant the “seeds” for positive change and development.
