HERO SHOPPING SPREE
Photographs by Kelly Zoppel, Norman Merckx of Sentinel of Gloucester County Weekly Newspaper
The annual ‘Holiday with a Hero’ (Shop With A Cop) Shopping day for children of Gloucester and surrounding counties took place on Saturday, December 10th at Walmart in Williamstown. The members of the Newfield Terrace Community Center and Franklin Township Police Department coordinated efforts with several surrounding law enforcement agencies, firefighters, EMT’s, Sheriff officers and State and local Police departments to take 106 pre-registered children to shop for Christmas items. This event encourages these children that they are important to their community while creating memories with local police officers, sheriff officers, firefighters, state police officers and EMT’s from thirteen municipalities in Gloucester county.
Volunteers arrived at 7 a.m at Janvier Elementary School Cafeteria in Franklin Township to set up. At 8 a.m. Law Enforcement, Fire, and EMS arrived in uniform and registration and assignments were given out. Children and families then arrived to check in and were able to talk with police officers and firefighters while eating breakfast that was donated from several local stores and businesses. Each child was given a tee-shirt to color and several children had officers sign their shirt as a keepsake of this event. The children then boarded school buses and where in a vehicle parade with police and fire trucks escorting them to Walmart in Williamstown. When they arrived at the store they were greeted by several Walmart employees dressed in holiday costumes and were able to sit with Santa Claus. They then went shopping with their assigned officer or first responder hero and were able to buy toys or other items and spend up to $100 each. Everyone had an enjoyable morning and were happy to have this heartfelt experience with one another during the holiday gift giving season!
