Shop With A Cop Brings Smiles Galore

Smiles were ear to ear as a group of young people piled out of five police cars in front of the Sidney Walmart, Saturday, evidence of the excitement created by their mode of arrival.

Just minutes earlier, the 17 youngsters ages 6-14 were breezing down the road in their own police escort, lights and sirens announcing their movement through town on the way to a special adventure with their newly introduced friends - members of the Sidney Police Department, Cheyenne County Sheriff's Office and Nebraska State Patrol.

The occasion? Sidney's third Shop With A Cop outing, which provides some young people a leg up on the Christmas season. The program collects and provides funds to take qualifying children Christmas shopping.

"These are kids that normally don't get a chance to do much shopping," said Sidney Police Chief Joe Aiken.

The program also focuses not on what the youngsters can load up on for themselves, but places emphasis on thinking about others.

With that though process, program coordinator, Sidney Police Officer Jennifer Woodis said when they hit the store, the shoppers first buy for their family members, then themselves.

"We work to instill a 'give back to others,' practice," Woodis said.

And it was a lesson taken to heart by the young people who shared their experience with the Sun-Telegraph.

"You get to be a Santa yourself," said 11 year old Jashawn Davenport. "It's about others."

Even so, the experience is something they didn't have to share and will hold dear for a long time. Like making their trip to the store with fanfare.

"It was really cool when they turned on the lights and siren," said Casandra Gonzales, also 11.

Once the shopping trip was over, the group headed to Cedar Lanes, which served as headquarters for the operation. Once there, the children got help wrapping their presents from volunteers, mostly community nurses, who were joined by spouses and significant others of the officers.

Aikens said the day was a resounding success.

"The kids had fun, and the officers did too," he said. "And the kids got to see that we're human too. They go to interact with the officers and see them as something more than an officer - it was more person-to-person."

The day was made possible through donations from throughout the community, including fund raisers put on by Dairy Queen and Runza.