Police, firefighters, sheriff's deputies and emergency responders join children for gift program

During Monday's "Shop With a Hero" event at Wal-Mart in Cape Girardeau, about 60 area children got a chance to choose some Christmas gifts for themselves as they shopped with public servants from the community.

The children, selected by faculty at Cape Girardeau public schools, each received about $40 to spend and their own "hero," a police officer, firefighter, sheriff's deputy or emergency responder, said Valerie Wondrick, event coordinator for Wal-Mart.

The program, geared toward children who may not otherwise receive many gifts for Christmas, has been around for about 20 years, Wondrick said.

Counselors, teachers and principals pick children ages 5 to 7, on a need basis, and try to keep siblings together, Wondrick said.

"A lot of these children wouldn't really have much of a Christmas," Wondrick said.

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.comZoe Glueck, 6, of Cape Girardeau and Capt. Roger Fields of the Cape Girardeau Police Department shop Monday at Wal-Mart during the "Shop With a Hero" event.

Donations from Wal-Mart and local public safety agencies each made up about half of the money for this year's program, said Sgt. Barry Hovis, spokesman for the police department.

The program gives children from lower income families a positive experience with emergency personnel, reinforcing the idea that "police officers are good people," Wondrick said.

Cape Girardeau firefighters, deputies from Cape Girardeau and Scott County Sheriff's departments, and Cape Girardeau and Scott City police participated in the program this year.

One Scott City officer showed up with a small puppy he was taking to a shelter, and a child ended up leaving with the dog as a Christmas bonus, Wondrick said.

Many of the volunteers kick in some of their own money if the child comes up short on something they really want, Wondrick said.

Hovis said he was touched that the girl he was helping to shop insisted on spending the majority of her money on her cousins, choosing only a small gift for herself.

"She was more worried about getting her cousins something for Christmas because they always get something for her," Hovis said.

bdicosmo@seissourian.com

388-3635

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