Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, December 25,2019
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 3A
Shop with a Cop provides over 100 Christmas wishes
By Jessica Taylor
jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
For a few hours Thursday
night, the aisles of Walmart’s toy
section were teeming with chil
dren and police officers for the
13th annual Shop with a Cop
event.
This year more than 100 chil
dren were able to pair up with a
law enforcement officer and shop
until they dropped, a substantial
increase from last year’s event
that saw nearly 80 children see
their Christmas wishes fulfilled.
“It’s been a tremendous year
and the community has been
great,” said Dawson County
Sheriff Jeff Johnson. “It’s been
an outstanding year.”
Each year for the past 13
years, the sheriff’s office has par
ticipated in Shop with a Cop, an
event that pairs underprivileged
children in the community with
local officers to shop for
Christmas presents.
With $100 for each child to
spend on whatever their hearts
desired, they were ready to hit
the toy aisles for some goodies.
Shop with a Cop is funded by
donations given throughout the
year as well as contributions
from local schools that have been
finding creative ways to turn rais
ing money into a fun contest.
Because of fundraising efforts
inside Dawson County Schools
as well as the community’s gen
erous donations, the Dawson
County Sheriff’s Office was able
to provide Christmas cheer for
more than 100 children this year.
But having that amount of
children meant, DCSO officers
needed to call for some rein
forcements.
Officers from Georgia State
Patrol, the Department of
Natural Resources, Dawson
County Emergency Services and
Georgia Bureau of
Investigations stepped up to
assist with the shopping shenan
igans.
“Just seeing the smiles,” is
reason enough for officer Randy
Harkness to come back year
after year to help children pick
out their Christmas goodies.
That sentiment was echoed by
Capt. David Lingerfelt who said
his favorite part of Shop with a
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Photos by Jessica Taylor Dawson County News
Above: More than 100 children shopped with cops until
they dropped during Shop with a Cop at Walmart on Dec.
19. Right: Officers from the Dawson County Sheriff's
Office help children shop for Christmas presents on Dec. 19
at Walmart.
Cop is always “seeing the kids
happy, just the joy of actually
being able to help give back.”
It wasn’t just officers lending
a hand. Many teachers, adminis
trators and counselors from the
Dawson County School system
came out to lend support to help
ensure every child was able to
shop to their heart’s content.
“It’s my first rodeo with this
thing,” Dawson County High
School choral teacher Spencer
Wright said. “It was kind of
mindblowing at the beginning,
but once we got started we saw
the joy in that little girl’s eyes
when she was getting to pick out
toys, it was a true blessing. It
really reminds you what
Christmas is really all about.”
Wright’s wife and daughters
said they wanted to help out this
year and he happily tagged
along for the community-build
ing experience.
“I think it’s a way that we’re
able to give back as a communi
ty really with the law enforce
ment and the schools and
Walmart. It’s just a good way to
give back to these people that
are really the heartbeat of our
community,” Wright said.
“These kids are the future and
what’s going to drive everything
as we move forward. If we show
them love and we show them
compassion and we show them
giving, that’s what they’ll model
for the rest of their lives. It
makes the world a better place.”
Lt. Shane Henson, far right, gives a pep talk to the officers gathered inside Walmart Dec. 19 before Shop with a Cop begins.
Sgt. Lee Brown of
the law enforce
ment division of
the Department of
Natural Resources
helps a little girl
shop for
Christmas during
Shop with a Cop
on Dec. 19 at
Walmart in
Dawsonville.
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Dawson Feed
the Hungry
Christmas bay
Wednesday, December 25, 2015
at Georgia Racing Hall of Fame
(Downtown Dawsonville next to City Hall)
Gordon Pirkle Banquet Room
If you or someone you know is in
need of a hot meal, we encourage
you to come out and join us inside
the banquet room on Christmas Day.
10 AM -4 PM
a or until all are served or x
^ we’re out of food! f-
MILITARY PERSONNEL/VETERANS/
EMERGENCY SERVICES & 1ST
RESPONDERS WELCOME!!!
Volunteers needed to help serve and deliver!
FOOD DONATIONS ACCEPTED & APPRECIATED
Drop off hot food day-of or can
bring desserts a few days earlier.
Menu will include:
• Ham
• Corn
• Chicken
• Mac & Cheese
• Pulled Pork
• Green Beans
• Broccoli Casserole
• Bolls
• Mashed Potatoes
• Assorted Desserts
Tea, Soda, Water
PRE-ORDER PLATES BY CALLING
770-866-2005 DELIVERY AVAILABLE!
For info or to volunteer
contact Scotty Seay 770-866-2005
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