Consider donating to Shop With a Cop program

Chris Baird Hours Categories Blog

r By Lt. Matt JohnsonrSpanish Fork City Police DepartmentrAs we enjoy the lovely fall weather, I would like to ask you to look ahead to the Christmas season. The Spanish Fork and Salem City police departments are currently making preparations to coordinate the 26th Annual Shop With a Cop program, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Spanish Fork Walmart.rThe Shop With a Cop program involves law enforcement officers from all agencies in Utah County in donating their time to take a group of children on a Christmas shopping spree. Children are selected by referrals from social service agencies. Donated gift cards are provided to each child who then selects Christmas gifts for their family members while shopping at Walmart.

Lt. Tom Hodgson with the Utah County Sheriff’s Office from the 2014 Shop With A Cop event. Tom is a member of the Shop With A Cop Committee and was one of the original officers that implemented the program 26 years ago.

The children are paired with uniformed law enforcement officers who travel with the children in their police vehicles to the Festival of Lights. After traveling through the Festival of Lights, the children and officers travel to a local school where breakfast is prepared and served. Upon completion of breakfast, the officers and children return to Walmart where the Christmas shopping spree begins.rIn order to provide a successful program, Shop With a Cop needs sponsorship. The goal for 2016 is to take at least 150 children shopping. I am asking that you consider making a donation to the Shop With a Cop program to help Utah County law enforcement officers make Christmas a little more enjoyable for these children and their families.

We are also in need of volunteers to wrap packages on the morning of Dec. 17. If you are available to volunteer your time to wrap gifts, please arrive at Walmart at 7:15 a.m.rTo help sponsor our program, please make checks payable to “Utah County Shop With a Cop” and mail to Utah County Shop With a Cop, P.O. Box 1373, Spanish Fork, Utah, 84660. You may also deliver your donation to your local police department in Spanish Fork and Salem. Utah County Shop With a Cop is a registered charitable organization. For non-monetary donations or further information, contact Lieutenant Johnson by phone at 801-804-4722 or by email at mjohnson@spanishfork.org.

Updated: 12/22/16 – Video courtesy of Spanish Fork Community News

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